Bringing It Home
by Carebearmaxi
Summary: Harvey and Donna are having a hard time in the office and now at home after Donna shockingly reveals not only she and Harvey's new love affair but another shock resulting in hopefully no one losing their positions as a result a new woman was employed by the bar as set up residence.
1. Chapter 1

Hi All! In light of #SuitsMonth and this week being Angst, I have written a short multi chapter starting here. Not too long just long enough to get the picture. Thanks to all the Twitter Fandom today for that interesting conversation. If not too much trouble would love a review. Thanks so much - Love Carebearmaxi

Bringing It Home

The car ride home was absolutely silent. They sat far apart. Donna on one side and Harvey on the other in the big black Lexus that Ray drove. When they both got in the car with Donna having the door held open by Ray, 'Where to?' Ray asked. Neither said a thing and just got in the backseats not touching or uttering a sound. Ray knew something was not right because in the last few weeks since Harvey was outwardly going with Donna the two would get in the car with wild banter or avid chatting. Ray would sometimes join in but most of the times he would look back in the rearview mirror and enjoy the big smiles on both their faces. He especially was happy for Harvey because Ray knew, though Ray never said anything, how much Harvey really loved Donna Paulsen.

Ray could see the radiant glow on Donna's face as well when she and Harvey were together. She was always kind to Ray himself and always included him in their conversations. There had only been a couple of times when Harvey had put the glass opaque window up between the seats and that had only been at night when they were going to an affair or coming from one. Even then Ray had surmised why the divider window was being raised.

Tonight, there was just silence all around as Ray pulled away from the parking space. He figured that one of them would say something to him before they got close to where they wanted to go.

"Ray, take Donna to her apartment, please," Harvey said in a rather loud commanding tone.

"Donna?" Ray said asking her if this was what they had agreed. He wanted to make sure before they both started to argue.

Donna swiveled her head and looked at Harvey who did not turn to look at her. His face remained sedentary and looking straight ahead. Donna resignedly swiveled her head back and wiped an angry tear away said, "Yes, Ray, please do."

When they arrived at Donna's building, Donna hurriedly got out of the car herself not waiting for Ray to open the door for her. As she stepped onto the curb and straightened she slammed the car door.

"Thank you, Ray."

"Goodnight, Donna," Ray said.

Ray got back in the car and noticed the hard look on his boss' face.

"Everything ok, boss?"

"Everything is fine, Ray. Just take me home."

"Sure thing," Ray said as he pulled away from the curb.

"Do you want me to stick around after I drop you off?" Ray asked. He thought for sure he would be called to take him back to Donna's apartment or vice versa.

"No. That's ok. Go home to your family tonight."

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Finally arriving crosstown at Harvey's swank digs, Harvey alighted from the car and walked resolutely to his condo. He opened the door unlocking it with his key and noticed at once how silent it was and heavy the atmosphere felt without Donna there. Not that she had been there to meet him all the time, but they had returned the last few times from the office together where they would eat, watch some TV, or just take a bubble bath together and then go to bed. Often they would make love, but sometimes just too exhausted and happy to just sleep spooned together.

As he swigged his scotch that he had poured himself, his thoughts turned to earlier in the day when Donna dropped that bombshell of an announcement. _How could she? Before we had even talked about it? Now that Faye is there things are really escalated. Faye did not say anything but I know Donna will be losing her job for sure. Or me? And me? I can't let that woman allow Donna to lose her job no matter what the circumstances are. This broad must understand! She's a woman and a professional._

He realized after a bit that he was so tired. He wanted to call Donna, but he did not want things to escalate to the level they had earlier in the day where they were both yelling at each other and embarrassing themselves in front of their co-workers.

Harvey dumped the rest of his Scotch down the sink undressing now as he made his way into his bathroom. He quickly washed himself of the day's battles, brushed his teeth and lay down between the covers. His hand found its way to Donna's pillow. He took it from the side of the bed she now claimed and held it to himself inhaling her vanilla and strawberry scent. She claimed she had only used that shampoo for his benefit as he was obsessed with strawberries. He smiled when he remembered the morning she had lain next to him and uttered the statement.

Holding Donna's pillow to his chest, Harvey fell into a restless sleep.

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Donna turned the lock in her door and walked in. She tread slowly down the corridor before the turn into her living room where she dropped her bag and coat. She decided against a bottle of wine and brew herself a cup of soothing Camomile tea instead. She went straight into the bedroom and slid on her silk camisole and pajama pants covering herself with a large oversized cardigan. She wrapped it around herself and sniffed. She could smell Harvey's cologne and his own male scent on it. This was the cardigan that she had been wearing that night a few weeks ago when he had shown up at her door full of emotion and passion sweeping her off her feet making love to her before they had even hit the bed. She sniffed his cologne and his male scent and she, at the time, had been loathe to wash the scent off her sweater. She loved the memory of him that night and how safe his scent made her feel.

Feeling silly continuing to sniff Harvey without the flesh appearance of him, she took her tea from the pot and sat down turning on the TV. Her phone sat on the coffee table. She stared at it as if it were Harvey himself as if it would jump up and apologize for being a dick to her. Yes, she knows she should never have announced her announcement with that woman present but Donna was tired of sneaking around behind closed doors and pretending that she and Harvey were just friends!

Harvey's attitude she really did not understand. She knew that all their jobs were at stake, but for heaven's sake why was he angry with her? This was a result of both of them. Something that they both had wanted. Between Thomas' crap within the last few months and this event, Donna's conscience had suddenly become loud enough for others to hear.

After finishing her tea, she decided that all she wanted to do was sleep. It would be difficult because she craved his warmth and his arms around her. Funny she went 13 years without him next to her at night and now one night away from his touch was agonizing. Her only consolation was that she hoped he felt the same way.

Going into her bathroom to brush her teeth and wash the remnants of her makeup off, she took a look at herself and then smiled. _He loves you! This is just temporary. It was a shock to him as well as others, so he will change his mind...I hope._

Donna shut the light off and slipped under the covers as tears rolled down her cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi Again Folks! I am attempting to get this done before emotional week starts on Wed 7/3/19! Anyhow my goal is to expand the angst not just focus on Darvey, so next chapter we will see Louis on the hotseat! Thank you for the reviews and the favoriting and following. Please let me know what you think of this latest. Love - Carebearmaxi**

Bringing It Home

Chapter 2

As soon as Harvey got in the car the next morning, Ray asked, "Hey Boss, are we to pick up Ms. Donna now?"

"No, she's coming in herself."

That was all he said. It seemed to Ray that Harvey was still in the same frame of mind he was when he got out of the car the previous night. Ray looked back at Harvey whose countenance did not face Ray but it seemed to be focused on Harvey's "New York Lawyer" magazine. Ray felt uncomfortable for Harvey and decided to do something in which he never would have done previously except now he had witnessed firsthand how happy Harvey was now that he was with Donna.

"Everything ok, Harvey?" Ray asked focusing simultaneously on Harvey's face in the rearview mirror and the road ahead.

"Yes, Ray," Harvey said shortly.

"How's Ms. Donna getting to the firm? I can...,"

"I don't know at the moment, Ray. Please just take me to the firm and I will call you a little later. I have a client appointment," Harvey said interrupting Ray as he started to ask questions.

"Sure thing," Ray answered. He was very curious about the situation between Donna and Harvey but decided that this was not the time to press for any answers.

The rest of the trip was silent as Ray watched the traffic and Harvey read his magazine.

As it were Donna was already in the office when Harvey arrived. He spotted her red mane as she sat at her desk engrossed in some document. He stopped silently outside her office door and just watched her write with her four color pen. There was no mistake that she took his breath away. He missed waking up beside her. Donna then changed ink color with a click and happened to catch his eye. She smiled at him. Instead of responding with his own smile, he put his head down and strode to his office.

As if right on cue, he no sooner sat at his desk then his former secretary current girlfriend strode through his office door closing the glass behind her.

"Harvey-"

"I don't want to talk about it, Donna," Harvey said as he sat down at his desk and looked up at her.

"We can't ignore this. Faye is sitting in the office next to mine ready to fire me for crossing lines."

"Well, whose fault is that?" Harvey exclaimed rising immediately to his feet.

Just when Donna was going to answer, he put his hand up and said severely, "Stop! I told you I don't want to talk about! Now, please, leave so I can prepare for my client meeting."

Donna just stood there and was really not too shocked that he seemed to have retreated to the Harvey she worked for all those years. The wall; the silence; and the poker face was back. Resolutely she stood her ground because she knew that both she, Harvey, and the whole firm were under Faye Richardson's attentive eye to be sure they did not step over the line again.

"Harvey, I know you don't want to hear this, but remember it is not only you under the gun this time, or me, but all of us," Donna said as she turned and walked back to her office.

"Donna, I have thought of nothing else, since that woman set up shop in our firm," Harvey looked down. He then looked at Donna and one could see his wheels spinning in his mind to see how their firm could come out of Richardson's investigation unscathed.

At his words Donna had turned around and came right back to his desk; however, Harvey had made no move to hold her or kiss her or even to take her hand, so she turned around again and walked out of his office. Donna did not want to attempt to speak with him again at this moment on such a sore subject. Maybe later...

Harvey stood there and watched as his love walked away from him. As much as she knew him, he could not let her know how much his heart ached not touching her. He knew he was hurting her, but since Donna's confession to Faye Richardson that they were more than co-workers and former boss and secretary he did not want to add fuel to the fire for Faye to find reason to fire Donna or him for breaking their own by-laws or crossing boundaries which before would have been overlooked.

"Donna?"

Donna rolled her eyes. She ventured into the NY Bar Association representative's temporary office. It used to be Robert's when he was there, but now since he had been disbarred in disgrace for taking the heat for Donna and Harvey it had become this woman's residency in their firm's home.

"Yes, Faye," Donna answered as she walked slowly into Faye's office. Faye's eyes never left Donna's face and figure as she walked into the office. Faye was rather surprised by an officer of the company's confessions. She was condemning them as a firm and her lover/name partner has an accomplice before Faye could make any discoveries for herself. Faye wondered why do this when your own ass is on the line as well as the partners with whom you were to protect.

"In light of your confession yesterday, I have a few questions concerning your actual qualifications as a COO."

"You wouldn't be the first one," Donna murmured under her breath knowing the scrutiny she had faced for years as to her real relationship with Harvey and then her sudden leap to woman executive after one of the worst years in the history of the firm.

Faye watched as Donna took a seat. Donna was dressed in her green silk shirt dress with the long skirt, belted at the waist accentuating her slim waist, and plunging neckline. Faye was one who thought a woman should dress appropriately for the office and not entice the opposite sex by using her femininity. Faye rose to her position purely on her abilities alone. It was not how she dressed but what Faye said that put her where she was.

"Ok, so you have confessed that you and Harvey Specter are now in a personal relationship which is more than platonic. You also defended him in saying that his part in any of my discoveries were instigated by you. How can you do this if you are not a lawyer?" Faye wondered. It seemed odd that a woman who was merely a secretary up to a few years ago could have that much influence over a lawyer who was touted as the best closer in Manhattan. Supposedly there was too much influence and it clouded Specter's judgment on the more obvious faux pas.

She watched as Donna fidgeted.

Donna cleared her throat and said, "Harvey is a good man and a good lawyer. Sometimes he errs or wants to err on the side of loyalty. I have exacted my influence on him as far as allowing him to see what may or may not be good for a client or the firm. I do know something about the law. I was a legal secretary and my duties encompassed many processes, but you should know that. You can ask Harvey."

"I plan to ask his side of this whole confession you made yesterday. I didn't immediately fire you because of that relationship because your love affair with Harvey Specter may have nothing to do with obstruction of justice, client conflict, or burying evidence; so I have to tread carefully so I don't falsely accuse anyone of acting in bad faith. Do you understand that Donna?"

Donna's eyes were very green this morning and very hard.

"Yes, I do, Faye," she answered accentuaing the "F" sound in Faye.

"What are your other qualifications pertinent to the practice of law or business that you possess that would influence a boss to advance your career from legal secretary to COO and partner?"

"It's a long story and hard to explain. I am good at what I do and I paid my partner's equity into the firm and signed the agreement as is the condition when a new partner is approved.

"At the time, there was only Harvey and Louis Litt. They both approved of your promotion and your partnership buy-in?"

"Yes, they did. So if you do not have specific questions as to what my qualifications are for performing my duties, I suggest you let me out of here so I can perform them?"

"The only pertinent qualification is that you have spent many years in legal offices including the District Attorney's office where you met Harvey Specter? Did you always work for him or did you start somewhere else."

"Well, if you must know, I began at another desk. I approached him. He was the latest hotshot at the time and I knew we would be a good fit. I also knew that he could help me in my career as well."

"So, you moved to his desk?"

"Yes, I asked my supervisor at the time and she was more than happy to move me to his desk. There were extenuating circumstances on why I wanted to move to someone else's desk. She actually called it a blessing because the secretarial pool needed reorganizing."

Faye wrote a few words down on a piece of paper she held on her lap and murmured "mmhmm".

"You can ask Harvey. He will vouch for everything I am telling you."

"Yes, I will send for Harvey in a few minutes. Do you know his present schedule by the way?"

Of course, Donna knew his schedule but she was not letting this bitch use information like that against her.

"Why would I? I am no longer his assistant. Sorry. Did you ask Gloria or Gretchen?"

"No, I thought since you are on personal basis with him you might know better. Thank you, anyway. I can take it from here."

Donna rose and left as Faye turned files over in her hand. They had been pulled from the file room and put in a special box: Liberty Rail, CM Motors, Hessington Oil, and Pierpont Mall/Kessler Furniture, and other settled files but had been settled in odd circumstances or in a not quite logical sense.

Harvey looked at his watch and then back at the case file he was perusing. He knew he should apologize to Donna, but he was waiting for his personal one-on-one with Faye before doing that. He wanted to be sure that from now on they were both on an united front. Harvey had seen what files Faye had had pulled. Most of the transcripts on the more large questionable/prestigious cases had been typed and written in terms where no one should have a question as to the settlements. However, Harvey knew that if this woman broke down his cases bit by bit she would find blanks spaces made to protect Harvey, Mike, Louis, etc., wherein arguments were specious. Donna's so-called confession of carrying that much influence over everyone was a bad argument and not one that Harvey would have chosen for himself. Hopefully if he could throw the light in a different direction, Donna would not lose her job and Harvey would not lose his license.

He knew Donna had confessed their relationship and exaggerated her influence and participation to throw Faye off the scent. Harvey was very angry about this because normally one kept one's mouth shut in a law office due to confidentiality, especially after two name partners had been disbarred in disgrace. Both name partners weighed heavy on Harvey's mind because both of these noble people saved his ass from losing his license.

Donna, in her infinite wisdom explained to Harvey why, at this time, she had rather bring their new personal relationship out into the open. Because with no substance to support the implications and innuendoes, their relationship had been seen as something tawdry, dirty, and secretive. Donna wanted them all to know that she and Harvey were happy together. Donna also knew that most of the office had already suspected it for years and by it being brought into the open there was no longer any shame in it.

Harvey was the last person who wanted their shiny new relationship to be dulled and become an albatross around the firm's proverbial neck shedding additional unprofessional light on their firm. Harvey had also thought of beating gossip to the punch, but before he and Donna could agree just when to lay their lives bare Donna had thrown caution to the wind. In front of the other name/senior partners Donna revealed who they were to each other now. Albeit in loving terms coming from the both of them, but still laying another layer of, perhaps, suspicious and unseemly office behavior.

Suddenly, expecting to see his girlfriend sashaying herself into his office, he was greeted by Faye Richardson.

Faye, blonde short hair in a blunt cut with small cutting blue eyes, helped herself to the chair opposite Harvey's desk. She sat back and crossed her legs and carried much the same haughty demeanor she used in interviewing Donna.

"I found you have a couple of hours before a client meeting, so if you don't mind I would like to review some items that happened yesterday," Faye said.

"Ok, Faye, let's not beat around the bush. You mean Donna's confession that she and I are in a personal relationship as well as a professional relationship. Am I right?"

"Yes."

"Let me say one thing. One does not affect the other. As a matter of fact, I will not allow the two to be affected by you or anyone else. Neither relationship is ending, so get that through your head before you even think that I am giving up my COO or my girlfriend because of your investigation!"

Faye rose. "I see you are a bit sensitive on this subject. Believe it or not this was not what I came to find out. I understand people are people, but I have a job to do and that is professional. I will leave you now and, perhaps, you can come see me after your client meeting."

Faye turned and walked out Harvey's door. She wondered why he was so hostile. As she had said, if she found the personal relationship influenced or coerced settlements for the professional one, that's when people would be disbarred or fired. As for office politics and love affairs, she had seen enough of those in her lifetime. She once had also been a participant in an office romance. The professional and the personal gets to be mixed sometimes and that can be the worst. In this, she wished Harvey Specter and Donna Paulsen well. The situation would not be easy.

Donna stared at this hard looking woman as she passed her office on the way back from Harvey's. Luckily Harvey's office was at the corner because she could only hear a little of his raised voice. Yesterday after Donna's total public confession, she wanted to be flippant and call Faye a hard, cold bitch as she had done to Anita Gibbs when she tried to trap Donna into confessing Harvey's part in Mike's fraud. However, Donna had realized this was a different situation. Their home was on the line, so she decided to appeal to Faye's professionalism and speak to her as an equal and not a snipe.

_"Look, Ms. Richardson, I have worked my whole life to attain this position. I attained it honestly through hard work, and I repeat did not sleep with Harvey to get it. It may look slightly odd now in light of what I just said, but you can ask anyone here. Everyone who has known us long enough knows that Harvey and I deserve our personal relationship and that together, professionally, we are a power couple. I know I may have a dug a hole for myself in this, but please do not take this away from me."_

Faye suddenly turned and startled Donna as Donna suddenly looked up from her reverie of the previous day.

"I am sorry for startling you. I just wanted to let you know I'm not making any moves yet. This investigation is not something that will be overnight. I have been here for two weeks and I may be here another four. My job is to ensure that clients have received fair services legally and the opponents have lost in a legally fair match. So, obstruction of justice, operating in bad faith, conflict, these are things that I have to look for and punish those who are responsible and make recompense to those who were treated unfairly."

"I understand that, Faye," Donna answered trying not to seem too rattled by Faye's stealth in moving around the offices. "None of us are taking your presence here lightly. Be assured that all of us, including myself, have done everything we can for our clients to the best of our ability. None of we partners here take our partnership for granted."

"Yes," Faye said and then took a walk to the window near Donna's table. "I just tried to speak with Harvey right now, but he is agitated and was preparing for a client's meeting."

Donna sat back and said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I can understand why he was agitated. Would you not feel this way if a stranger walked into your house and began assessing your behavior and judging it whether it was ethical or not?"

Faye turned her body toward Donna and with her arms crossed stated, "It would depend if I was trying to hide something. Am I right?'

Just then, Louis saw Faye was in Donna's office. He tried to back away not wanting to interrupt anything but it was too late as Donna was glad for the distraction and not having to answer that question, rhetorical or not.

"What do you want, Louis?" Donna asked as she sat back behind her desk. "Faye was just leaving, weren't you?"

"Yes, of course. I will see you both later." Faye left and Louis visibly breathed a sigh of relief. He took a few steps closer to Donna's desk.

"Donna, I wanted to talk to you about yesterday."

"You mean my confession of all our recent sins...at least the ones that concern the immediate bunch."

"What did you say about Thomas?"

"She knows about my part in that, Louis. Why do you think I've been put on probation? She's intercepting all my paperwork that needs my signature including paperwork that needs a managing partner's signature as well."

"Well, what did she say about the present state of your relationship with Harvey? I know he can't be too happy with this."

"Louis, what is it that you want me to say? You discovered our relationship and you sanctioned it was ok. I brought it out into the open knowing full well that the implications are there."

"But you've only been with each other a few weeks. Has it affected it?"

"Louis, did you come in here to pump me for information regarding my relationship with Harvey and its reflection on your managing partner skills or what?" Donna asked angrily.

"I'm sorry, Donna. I'm worried about you with him. You know how he is. I'm not sure he's..."

"Look, Louis, just worry about your own standings in this office which should be impeccable. I have got to keep my head down and do my duties," Donna said taking her four color Bic pen in hand and beginning to write in a file.

"Donna, I'm sorry, but I think your confession did not do what you thought it would," Louis said standing up preparing to leave her office.

"So, what am I supposed to do? Harvey loves me and I love him...at least he did the other night before my confession to Faye."

Louis sat back down.

"What happened?"

Donna sighed. She did not like kissing and telling especially to Louis.

"It was the first night for weeks that we did not spend together. It just hurt. That's all."

"Donna, normally, I would go punch him in the face for making you hurt, but this time I think he's just as hurt as you are. You know how he is when he's like that."

"Yes, I do. I came to work early, by myself, so I could maybe reason with him when he got in, but no he just dismissed me from his office as if I were his assistant again and not the woman he loves."

"You know him. He'll come around. Sheila and I fight all the time especially now with the pregnancy hormones wreaking havoc, so I just take it and then we apologize to one another. It's how it works. I don't need to tell you and Harvey about that."

Louis then rose, patted Donna's hand and then left her office for his.

Donna smiled at Louis and then resumed her work. If Harvey wanted to make up with her, he knew where to find her.

Faye picked up the Liberty Rail file from the box. She paged through the transcripts and and the settlement pages. She noted in her small notebook that the settlement hinged around a coerced confession of the Liberty Rail train engineer to which Liberty Rail settled out of court giving him a heavy monthly payment and allowing him to keep his pension. However, along comes Pearson Specter and commandeers the engineer and settles with Liberty Rail for a higher sum of monthly payments and lifetime pension allowing even lessening of the financial burden on the engineer as recompense for the engineer's destroyed reputation inhibiting him to obtain lucrative employment.

_Odd. Why would there have been a second settlement when it seems that per the engineer's own testimony he had had a settlement in place? Is there more to this than meets the eye or was the engineer that savvy to attain new lawyers and work for a new settlement?_

Faye put down the file on her desk and lifted another one. This one was older and was marked CB Motors. There was record of Donna being fired for destroying paperwork which turned out to be falsely created. That was also an odd turn of events. As she knew from Andrew Malick he had also found this out and exploited it trying to accuse Harvey Specter of destroying or suppressing evidence in a court case. _Even I would be hard pressed to find evidence in supporting that accusation Faye thought. As I see, Malick may have created the suggestion. Interesting. _

_ I will have to really be attentive here. These people are not lightweights. They know how to cover their asses._

Faye continued to pull file after file and make assessment notes as the day wore on. She decided that maybe she should continue her investigation with none other than the "managing" partner himself - Louis Litt.


	3. Chapter 3

**HI Folks! I know this angst fic is going to run into Emotional week, but couldn't help it. I hope you enjoy this just the same. Here is the 3rd chapter. It's one of the few times I have written a scene with another character without Donna and Harvey in the room. I hope it came out correctly. Thank you for all my new followers of this story and the reviews and the responses. I truly do appreciate them. Love - Carebearmaxi**

Bringing It Home

Chapter 3

_Well, I guess it's my turn. She's waited all this time to talk with us individually. I don't get it. Just get it out in the open if you want to accuse us of acting in bad faith or practicing law in the gray..._

"Louis, I see you have a few minutes. Could we talk for a few minutes? I have a few questions on some past cases that I hope you can shed some light?"

"Did you talk to Harvey yet?" Louis asked trying to divert her attention. Louis knew all about the deals that Harvey made to save face for the firm, Jessica, and ultimately Harvey himself. _I am the managing partner and although I know which closets the skeletons hang Harvey is my brother and I would not throw him under the bus because he would not do that to me Louis thought swiftly. _

"I must say your cases are the least suspect of any partners' cases. I assume then that you know nothing about the gray areas where some of your partners settle their cases?" Faye said noticing how uncomfortable Louis was. He was sweating pretty badly and tried to act indignant, but Faye could read people pretty well and she could tell he knew more than he was revealing.

"What happened before I became name partner may not have concerned me. It was not my place unless directly requested to work with another partner or employ the associates. I instructed the associates and still do in some respects. Most of that is left to Donna and to some extent Katrina," Louis answered honestly.

"How much do you know about Hessington Oil?"

"I was the attorney for the firm Hessington Oil, and when we split I mishandled the negotiations. I was almost fired for that but Harvey and Jessica decided that I let my emotions cloud my judgment when it came to the settlement."

Faye ticked off an invisible checklist in her mind. _He's definitely not the one that would coerce a name partner out of his fair share of the dissolution money._

"I realize that you may have had nothing to do with Ava Hessington's personal case. That was handled by Harvey, correct?"

"Yes, Jessica, Harvey, and to some extent Mike Ross when he was here."

"Mike Ross? Mmm," Faye said. "He would have been practicing as a fraud back then, correct?"

"Yes, although I really never knew any of that until he was arrested and went to jail," Louis said crossing his hands in front of him. _Keep trying, sweet tits, you're not getting anything out of me._

"Did anyone from Hessington Oil order recompense for having a fraud on the case?"

"There was a lawyer who had filed a Class Action against us for all the cases on which Mike participated through the years. We settled with her."

"Yes, by using the former partners' equity in Escrow," Faye deducted and smiled as apparently from Louis' surprised look he thought he was the only one who could have thought to use partners' money to settle the Class Action Suit. That was one reason why some of the partners had wanted to be part of the Class Action suit so they would receive their buy-in equity. It was a sharp practice, but not illegal as the partner's buy-in is held for escrow for firm's use when necessary. The partners were, at least, able to take their clients with them and apply to other firms per the by-laws that Louis had written under Jessica Pearson's tutelage.

"Have you ever blackmailed a client, Louis, to protect someone in the firm?"

"No, absolutely not," Louis answered a little too quickly. _I can't let her find out about the problem that's arisen as a result of Thomas' case. He's wanting recompense for the whole situation with Pierpont Malls and I'm sure he's reeling after his breakup with Donna. He's defecting to another firm. I can't have that._

"Are you sure?" Faye asked still noticing that Louis was really trying to hold it together.

"Yes, Faye, I am very sure. Now is that it? I have clients and last I checked I did still run this firm," Louis said feeling pressured.

"Well, I am the managing partner temporarily, but yes, you are still considered managing partner until I can determine if this firm needs to be dissolved."

"Dissolved?"

"Yes, or put on the right path. As I said to Donna this is not an overnight process. I may be here another month until I can make a fair judgment."

"Are we done now?" Louis asked starting to play with his fingernails.

"Yes. Thank you. We'll talk again. Remember to run all questionable cases by me before you make a move. I currently have Donna on probation and next I will extend this same warning to all the name partners and senior partners as well."

Faye rose and left Louis an emotional wreck slumping in his office chair.

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"Gretchen," Louis called to his secretary.

"Yes, Louis," Gretchen said as she came in leaving a file on his desk.

"What is this? Your resignation?" Louis asked hoping it was not.

"Of course not. I told you once. Anyone comes after you they come after me. I got your back," Gretchen said.

"Then what is th-?" Louis said as he flipped a few pages and put it down on his desk.

"This is from Thomas Kessler," Louis said as he put his head down on his crossed hands.

"Actually it's from his General Counsel which Donna had matched him. I can't believe what he's demanding."

"I can. We did deal with him in bad faith, but did not really intended to. Has Ms. Richardson seen this?"

"I don't think so. It had not made it into the box of cases she pulled from the file room."

"Ok. Thanks, Gretchen. I'll take care of this."

"Well, if you need my help, you know where I am," Gretchen said reassuring Louis that she was definitely going to go down with the ship if it went that way.

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Meanwhile, Harvey had finished with his client meeting which resulted in the building of this company's brand. Harvey had helped many a company grow by accumulating seed money for expansion by either an IPO or by hedge funding. In Harvey's opinion this particular company which was sports related as most of Harvey's clients were would benefit by an IPO (initial public offering). The shares would be offered at a decent level, so perhaps new investors would sink their money and influence the growth potential.

After shaking hands with his client, Harvey walked away feeling rather proud of himself. it was one of the few times when he was able to work in the white area. With Donna now his professionally and personally he felt that together they were invincible.

_ I always had this feeling when I knew I had Donna working with me. She is not working with me in the same capacity but she is with me. I really need to apologize. I don't even know what Faye did in response to her revealing our new personal relationship. Donna will be happy that at least I haven't had to blackmail anyone or coerce anyone with my present client. Just a nice IPO and, perhaps, a merger in the future._

Harvey's cell vibrated in his jacket pocket. He reached in his pocket and retrieved his phone. It was Louis.

"Yes, Louis, I'm on my way back. What's happening?"

"As soon as you get back, I need to talk to you. Don't see Donna first. Don't let Faye intercept you. Come straight to the file room," Louis said in hushed tones.

"What, Louis, what?" Harvey tried to get more information but Louis hung up.

_What the hell now? Louis what have you gotten us into?_

"Hey, Harvey, how's everything?" Ray asked as Harvey got into the car. To Ray, Harvey's demeanor was not as silent as it had been earlier that morning. He hoped that everything was all right between he and Ms. Donna. He knew Harvey used to give up when he had other steady women, and it had been hard for Ray to notice the difference between those relationships and the one he shared with Donna Paulsen. Anyone who saw them together now would definitely have thought they had been married already. Ray, a happily married man himself, was always recommending his state to Harvey. Here's hoping Harvey would take the plunge himself.

"It's good right now, Ray. Thanks for asking," Harvey said as he ducked his head and got into the car. Ray shut the door and got into the driver's side in the front seat.

"Ray, take me to that florist shop we went to last week," Harvey said.

"For Donna?" Ray said hoping that Harvey would not think him prying.

"Yes, for Donna," Harvey said smiling. "I'm that obvious. I must really have it bad." Harvey laughed aloud and smiled his wide smile for the first time in two days.

"If you don't mind me saying, boss. Yes, you're poker face is gone when it comes to her," Ray answered back with his own smile. "And I must say I'm glad it is."

Harvey smiled at Ray in the rearview mirror and smiled.

"Thanks, Ray."

Donna, who had been distributing cases to the Associates, returned to her office and stopped in her tracks when she noticed a huge vase of red and yellow roses mixed in a large glass vase. Her entire office was filled with the fresh scent of roses.

"Harvey," she said aloud and hurried the last two steps to her desk and pulled the card.

_Donna_

_ Forgive me. I'm sorry. Let's see each other later._

_ All my love_

_ Harvey_

_ -_was how the card read. Simple and sweet. _If he's not too careful, he will become the perfect boyfriend. _

Donna took the card and kissed it leaving a huge lip print with her present dark red lip color. She walked down the hall to his office hoping to see him there busy at his desk, but he was not there and she wondered how she could have missed him since he had a bird's eye view of the bullpen from his desk.

_Oh well, I'm sure he'll stop by my office later Donna thought. _She took the card back with her with thoughts of kissing Harvey when he stopped by later.

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"So, what do we do? The last thing we need is to try to save our asses with Thomas' case and conceal it from our all-seeing NY Bar Associate spy," Louis said pointing hysterically in the general direction of where Faye's office resided.

"Louis, are you sure Thomas is aware of the extreme that his general counsel is trying to negotiate? Thomas Kessler was a good man with good morals, so this sounds a bit out of character for him."

"That's just it. I am pretty sure that this general counsel that Donna picked for him isn't that smart. She didn't run any of them by me before she suggested this one to Thomas and he accepted. I don't know what to think."

"Don't you think you should consult Donna? She has this uncanny ability to know people. You know that. Maybe she can give you answers I can't?" Harvey suggested.

"That was my first thought, but Faye put her on probation so she's watching everything Donna does from signing bills to working with the associates. I didn't want to add to her plate."

Harvey looked away and scowled. He knew he would have to have this conversation with her outside the prying eyes of Faye Richardson if they were ever to come up with a way to remove Kessler from their lives legally and, perhaps, simultaneously get rid of this NY Bar rep who was getting under Harvey's skin. He did not like feeling like a prisoner in his own firm.

"Louis, let me have this. I will take it home. I plan to see Donna tonight and maybe I can get a read on this guy from her."

"Ok. Thanks, Harvey," Louis said as he stuck his head out of the door of the file room and looking both ways returned to his office leaving Harvey standing still in a thoughtful stance.

Walking back in the direction of his own office and bypassing Faye's who was thankfully not at her desk, Harvey stopped and saw Donna lovingly arranging the roses he had sent to her. He stopped and knocked on the glass.

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"Mind if I come in?" Harvey said shyly knowing how he had treated Donna in the last day and a half was not the best boyfriend behavior.

"Sure. Be careful, though, I'm expecting my boyfriend," Donna said whispering the last word and using air quotes. She stood in front of her desk resuming her task of sorting the arrangement to her liking. Harvey took the two steps and laying the file on a chair encircled her in his arms from behind and murmured in her ear.

"I'll make it quick, so he won't know I've been here," he teased deeply. He felt her lay her hand on both of his as they came together on her slim waist. He twisted her gently and turned her around. They both looked at each other with their heads together and finally Harvey went in for a kiss. A kiss which was growing deeper allowing them to forget just where they were.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Donna returned back.

"I love the flowers. Thank you," Donna said kissing him again.

"Well, how's about we pick up where we left off the other night before we came back to this place?" Harvey invited his eyes never leaving Donna's lips.

"What did you have in mind, sailor?" Donna bantered back placing her arms around his neck and nuzzling his neck.

"Let Ray take us both home to my place, we'll have dinner, and then...you're going to kill me..."

"Why? What's the matter?" Donna asked suddenly holding Harvey by each upper arm and her eyes became serious.

"We have to make this a working dinner. Louis just gave me an issue and I need your help. I can't discuss it here with our NY Bar snoop hanging around."

"No problem, Harvey. It's not going to be all work, all night, is it?" Donna asked hoping that he was still in it for the long haul. She felt horrible that sometimes she still felt like Harvey only wanted her professionally. She absolutely knew he did not with his affection and emotional openness and his unwavering show of love. However, sometimes...

"Of course not. We'll work on this for a bit and then...who knows?" Harvey asked again coming in for a kiss.

With her eyes still closed, she said, "Harvey Goddamn Specter you are going to be the death of me for sure. See you later," Donna said as she backed out of Harvey's arms and returned to her seat behind her desk and watched Harvey take the file and wink on his way back to his own office.


	4. Chapter 4

**HI Folks! I'm going to miss my own deadline with this one but hopefully I will have it done by next week's S9 premier. The plot thickens and we have a surprise! Please leave a review if so moved. Will come to an end soon. Thanks - Carebearmaxi.**

Bringing It Home

Chapter 4

When Harvey returned to Donna's office to take her home, he watched her work again. He knew now from Louis that she had been put on probation. She was lucky she had not lost her position altogether. Donna was an excellent COO, and everyone knew it. However, he knew from things that he had heard in the bullpen that since she was not a lawyer and had only been his assistant and then jumped to COO others thought that she was qualified because she had slept with the managing partner. If he could have pinpointed from whom these malicious words had stemmed, Harvey would have not only fired them on the spot but they would never be able to practice law in New York.

Anyhow, Harvey took two steps into her office and said, "It's ok for the COO to stop working sometime, you know."

"Yes, well, maybe before big bad Faye over there had not put her on probation," Donna said still scrawling notes and typing on her tablet.

"Donna, you know we have to talk about the file that Louis gave me earlier," Harvey said sad to see that Faye had her running scared as well as the rest of them. It seared him through that Donna was scared. He remembered what he had said to her the last time this happened five years ago with Liberty Rail.

_"I said I would never let anything happen to you, and I won't ever. So you don't need to be scared like that again."_

"I know that Harvey, but I have to finish this analysis before I go. I told her I would have to her in the morning."

"Well, she's not at her desk, so I say let's go while the gettin's good."

He sneaked over behind her desk and put his arms on her shoulders and started to knead like he was kneading dough to make bread. _She's so tense. Not like her at all. This has got to stop! _ He then bent and put his arms around her kissed her in his favorite spot between neck and shoulder. First the left side and then he continued his ministrations on the right side. Her body was made for his lips and hands. He could see the gooseflesh he left in his wake. Donna shivered and allowed him to continue.

Finally Donna gave up the struggle of fighting what Harvey was doing to her and dropped her four color Bic pen. She reached up and pulled him down to her and cradling his head brought her lips to his for a soul searing kiss.

"Knock, knock. Am I interrupting?" came a familiar voice they had not heard live and in person for more than a year.

Both looked up and stopped in their loving tracks.

"Mike!" They exclaimed together.

Smiles were plastered over both Harvey and Donna's faces as they spotted their protege and friend standing in the doorway of Donna's office.

Mike came into the room and accepted hugs from both Donna and a handshake from Harvey and then a big brotherly hug from Harvey who could not contain how happy he was to see him.

"Hey, does that little activity that I interrupted mean what I think it means? You're not rehearsing for some play, are you?" Mike asked focusing on Donna.

"Yes, it does mean what you think it means," Harvey said. He put his arm around Donna and pulled her tightly to himself. "I finally realized what was in front of my face."

Mike witnessed the open love for each other as he stood there.

"Good. Rachel will be thrilled," Mike said happily.

"What are you doing here?" Harvey had asked clapping Mike on the shoulder and escorting him to a chair in front of Donna's desk. Harvey took the other and Donna resumed hers behind the desk.

"Louis called me. Said there was trouble afoot?"

"Let's not talk about it here. Donna and I were just leaving for my place, have a late dinner, and then discuss the trouble."

"Ok, so I see this is a big secret," Mike said nodding. "Well, let's go."

Donna, Harvey, and Mike sat around the dining table at Harvey's place. Instead of anything elaborate, they picked up some Thai from the shitty Thai place that Harvey and Donna both loved and indoctrinated Mike into it. Apparently he and Rachel ordered their Thai from a different "shitty place". Mike told them how Rachel was doing and how much she loved being a full fledged lawyer.

"I'm sure she's the one that keeps the money coming in the firm. If she's anything like her father," Harvey remarked shoving food into his mouth.

"Of course, you know me. I do nothing but pro bonos. Once in a while I take one that pays the bills," Mike said jokingly. He felt so happy to be back in the arms of his "proverbial" mom and dad. He looked around and noticed that Donna had some influence in decorating Harvey's house meaning there were a couple of dishtowels that now hung on the oven door and pot holders with magnets on the side of the gunmetal color refrigerator. A couple plants plus the cactus now adorned the room. Mike was sure if he ventured into Harvey's bathroom, Donna's bathrobe would be hanging on the door and her makeup and lotions would line the bathroom counter. Good thing Harvey was vain to a point because the three point track lighting in the bathroom was perfect for Donna to apply her makeup. Mike knew about these things because it happened when he and Rachel had moved in together.

_How happy and peaceful they now look in one another's company. I wonder how Harvey finally woke up? Why didn't they call us? We've been rooting for them since the beginning. Harvey was good at having no feelings except when it came to her. She told me once the feelings go away, but I know they didn't. Wait until Rachel finds out! She will be over the moon for them. Just like me._

They bantered a bit and Mike told him that Rachel and he were trying to get pregnant. Nothing yet, but they would be the second to know when it happened. Rachel's parents had to be first, of course. Donna's eyes shone and smile was wide when Mike had mentioned getting pregnant. Donna hoped when they were ready she would get pregnant right away. Harvey would be a good father. She instinctively knew it. Mike had been a project and look how he turned out so to speak Donna thought amused.

After the wine had flowed and the dishes put in the sink to be done later, Mike, Donna, and Harvey took seats near the fireplace. Mike sat on the chair and faced Donna and Harvey who sat close together on the couch. Donna had longed kicked off her stilettos and curled her legs under her while Harvey had removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. His shoes were also off.

"So how much did Louis tell you on the phone?" Harvey asked handing him the file.

Mike looked it over and said, "Not much. He just said there was an extortion taking place and that you had to be careful because of the people involved and the NY Bar snoop stuck in your office."

"The NY Bar Association installed Faye Richardson, Special Master, to determine whether we should all lose our licenses or continue as we should be," Harvey said. He leaned forward and shook his head.

"She's a tough egg and we are doing our best to protect each other especially Louis who is managing partner right now."

"Geez, Harvey, how did you guys manage that? I know some of the shit we pulled has been gray or even illegal but how did the Bar get a signal?"

"I'm sure Malick had something to do with it since he lost to Harvey two years in a row and then foregoing conflict and having two lawyers work with two clients on opposite sides of a merger. It didn't help that I opened my big mouth to tell my then boyfriend that he was being used as a stalking horse. Allowing Daniel Hardman to yet again rear his ugly head and try to get Harvey disbarred. Then, of course, the other things that we skirted the law on. Not to mention Liberty Rail..." Donna who was talking suddenly sniffed and burst into tears quietly.

Harvey stopped Donna talking by taking her hand.

"Stop that! I would never trade you for any of what happened," Harvey said and not caring if Mike watched him or not leaned back and took Donna into his arms and kissed her forehead.

"We'll get them. Don't worry."

Mike smiled ruefully. "Yes, we will. Now let's see what this guy is trying to extort."

They talked and examined the case of Pierpont Malls and Kessler Furniture for hours. Donna had contributed what she knew of the lawyer she had convinced Thomas to take on as General Counsel.

"I met with Brendan. He was a guy who worked a job and went to law school at night because he needed the money. His work ethic was commendable and that's why he fit Thomas so well. They were both cut from the same cloth. I never would have guessed that either Thomas or Brendan would try to extort money for Thomas' loss."

"Donna, I have to ask this because if we expose this and it goes to trial the other lawyer will ask you point blank," Mike said carefully. The last thing he wanted was to destroy any happiness that Harvey and Donna had finally, finally found together.

"Were you sleeping with Thomas Kessler, Donna, when this was taking place?"

"Yes. We were in a relationship."

Mike looked at Harvey and noticed him squirm. He guessed this was before he woke up and claimed Donna as his girl. Mike read on and then he found a real curious fact that was being extorted.

"How does this guy know about the partners' agreement that Louis signed stating that he knew I was a fraud at that time?"

Harvey looked at Donna and Donna looked back at Harvey.

"I don't know. I didn't even know Jessica had him sign an agreement like that. I do know that he exacted leverage on everybody because he felt like he wasn't part of the club," Donna said.

"Yes, he did. I had to tell him off because he really hurt Rachel with his leverage. He made her do paralegal work when she was doing associate work. What leverage did he exact on you, Donna?" Mike asked.

Donna separated from Harvey at that moment and rose pacing in front of the fireplace.

"Do you really need to know?" Donna asked twitching her nose the mannerism she used when she was uncomfortable.

"Well, it may come into play, like I said," Mike remarked.

"It's ok, Donna, just tell us," Harvey confirmed.

"Ok," Donna said as she plopped back down on the couch next to Harvey. "He asked me if I had ever slept with Harvey."

"So I assume you told him we did all those years ago?" Harvey asked looking at Donna.

"Yes. I wanted us all to be family again. Louis was being the worst and all I wanted to do was to protect Mike and everybody else."

"It's ok," Harvey said. "I know."

Harvey then put his head in his hand. "Now I know why Louis called you. Donna, where did you get this guy?"

"Are you thinking that I did something wrong? Because this time I assure you he came to me by legitimate means. I looked at our associates and then culled a few from other schools. We could not spare any of our associates or junior partners, so I culled the data bases of other firms and I had interviewed him I liked him right away. I had this notion that Thomas and he would fit together. They did. Thomas called me to thank me and that's how we started dating. I found him through Sheila. She gave me three associates and where they wound up and I chose this one.

"No wonder Louis was so upset," Harvey acknowledged. "Well, we're going to have to circle back and talk to Louis and Sheila.

"That's what I can do. Faye doesn't know me. I'm no longer a partner of the firm, so I can sneak in and do things so we can hide this from her and work it out like we normally do."

"Mike," Harvey said rising as Mike had risen and was planning to leave. "Be careful. You know what happened to Jessica.'

"Nope, not going to happen to me." Mike had shaken his head and said as he shook Harvey's hand.

"Faye knows, of course, who you were. She could easily extrapolate anything she wants," Harvey uttered when standing at the doorway with Mike. Donna had said her goodbyes and was sipping her wine as she sat on the couch looking thoughtful.

"She's got Donna on probation, right? Don't worry, Batman. Robin has got this," Mike kept assuring Harvey.

"Donna can't lose her job. She almost lost it a few months ago if it weren't for your father-in-law," Harvey said.

"No, Robert saved your ass and you saved Donna from what I understand," Mike shook Harvey's hand one more time.

Before turning away from Harvey, Mike turned back and said, "You tell Donna that she is not going anywhere."

Harvey smiled and took a breath.

"It is so good to have you back for a bit, Mike. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I will start in the morning. I have to go to my hotel and call my wife before she starts calling hospitals and airports thinking something bad happened."

Harvey laughed and said, "I know what you mean. Really."

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After giving Rachel the good news about Harvey and Donna and speaking on the phone for two hours, Mike had gone to sleep with a strategy in mind about exposing this extortion without hurting the parties involved.

He rose the next day making phone calls. One of them was to Sheila. He and Sheila had never really had a conversation together alone before, but she had attended he and Rachel's wedding and she knew that Mike meant a lot to Louis. She knew, of course, about the extra strife at the office right now; so she was very happy to help in anyway she could.

Sheila was still acting Dean of Columbia University Law School, so she was very busy herself. Luckily it was not admissions season for which she would miss this year for the first part as she was due to go out on maternity leave then.

"Mike Ross, come in," Sheila invited to Mike as he stood in the doorway of her office. "Forgive me for not rising, but it takes me a little longer to get up and down these days. Take a seat."

"No problem. Thanks for seeing me. Louis told me the baby is due in the fall. Do you know what you're having?" Mike asked.

"No. We wanted to be surprised. So, Mike, what can I help with?" Sheila asked. "Excuse me, would you like water, coffee, a coke?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks for asking," Mike said with his boyish smile.

"Ok. So what can I do to help?" Sheila asked again.

"I was wondering if you could help me to know a little more about Brendan Colby," Mike asked passing the file with his picture across Sheila's desk to refresh her memory.

"He was one of the candidates that I gave to Donna for Thomas Kessler's General Counsel. He's the one she chose if I remember correctly. Why?"

"I don't know how much Louis told you about this latest thing that's happened. This file contains an extortion letter that Brendan Colby and Thomas Kessler is holding over the firm's head."

"Did you tell Louis why you were coming to see me?" Sheila asked taking the file from Mike as if it were too hot to handle.

"Yes. He told me you wouldn't mind. Do you want to call him? He asked me if you felt uncomfortable without him here to just call him and he'll be here real fast."

Sheila smiled. "I'm a big girl, Mike. I think I can handle something hurting the father of my baby without him having to hold my hand. So you want to know about him?"

"Yes. Like did he have any skeletons in the closet or anything that didn't add up before you recommended him to Donna?"

"Not that I can remember, but let me check his exit file." Sheila said as she rose out of her chair. She wore a black and white striped, frilly, tight fitting empire waisted maternity dress which did everything to shout "I'm pregnant" to the world. Her legs were already a little swollen for the day so she had decided to wear her black ballet flats.

"Now, let me see," she said as she rummaged in a mid-level drawer for his file. "Here we are, Brendan Colby," Sheila paged through the file. "Worked daytime at a law firm as a clerk. He's single and wanted to be a corporate lawyer. I remember when he graduated. He was very happy to have been placed with the little law firm with which he was a clerk."

Sheila handed Mike the file and then resumed her seat elevated her feet by placing them on the trash can.

"Pardon me. I have to do this or I won't be able to walk the rest of the day," Sheila apologized to her visitor.

"Ah don't worry about it, Sheila. You do whatever you have to do," Mike said. He looked inside the small file. "Can I make a copy of this?"

"Sure. Just ask Gina. She'll be happy to do it for you."

"Oh, ok. Thank you, Sheila. I will let you and Louis know what I can find."

"Thank you, Mike, for coming to the rescue."

"Well, don't thank me yet. You take care, though. See you," Mike said as he shut the door to Sheila's inner office behind him as he left.

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In the meantime, Faye finally met with Harvey. She approached the former managing partner's office resolutely. She know he could be slick, but she was not putting up with that. Faye felt that he was the main problem with the whole firm. All she had to do was prove it. She carried with her a few files on the questionable cases and wanted to ask about the disbarments and removals of Jessica Pearson and Robert Zane. Faye felt she knew that those two lawyers had taken the hit for this smarmy guy.

"Harvey, I need to speak with you now," Faye demanded as she came into his office and took a seat in front of his desk.

"Not now, Faye. I have to meet with a client for a deposition shortly. Did you ask my assistant for time? She really knows what's going on with my calendar," Harvey hedged.

"Well, whatever you have going it can wait. I want to speak with you now and depending on my conversation I may decide whether it is time for me to make my evaluation and leave or make my evaluation and put you all out of work."

Harvey grimaced and put down his pen annoyed.

"Ok, Faye, ask your shitty questions. I don't know what more I can tell you than what's in those transcripts and papers. Good luck!" Harvey was very angry and he was his most sarcastic when in that state. It also did not help the fact that this person had his very special girl running around like she was a first year assistant again. He did not promote Donna, despite what this woman thought, because she had been sleeping with him.

"I pulled some of these questionable cases where things did not quite add up and I wondered if you could fill me in."

"Answer me one question before you pump me fill of questions with which you want to trick me into false answers. Did you ever speak with Andrew Malick?" Harvey asked with nostrils flaring and jaw clenched.

Faye's eyes went wide. It looked to Harvey that, perhaps, he had finally caught his mouse.

"Did you Faye? Because if I find out that Andrew Malick's malicious suspicions are the reason you are here, I will report you to the NY Bar as prejudicial. Then we will see who's disbarred!"

Faye's face returned to stone. She was not about to let Harvey Specter win. He was far too slick. He was one who always thought he could outsmart the other person in the room. _We'll see she thought._

"No, Harvey, I did not convene with anyone before I came here to do my job. I was chosen by the NY Bar because I am a person who is not easily prejudiced. If you threaten me again, you can hand in your resignation."

"It is still my firm. Your control is temporary, correct?"

"Yes. Like I said I need to make a fair evaluation and investigation. As for now, you have been put on probation as well. Donna, your assistant, your partners, or anyone wanting to enlist your services must report to me first and give me the basic need. Do you understand that, Mr. Specter?"

Harvey angrily examined Faye. He had felt for a long time that he did not need a dressing down. He had not suffered one of those since Jessica had left.

"Get on with the questions," Harvey said in a low angry tone.

Faye said, "Good."

She pulled out a blue folder and beneath the Pearson Hardman on the printed folder there was a label and it was the Coastal Motors file.

"You were falsely accused of destroying evidence. Donna was fired and then rehired ten days after. Could you explain why a secretary who knows it is wrong to destroy evidence shredded a necessary piece of it while she worked for you?"

"You may also know, especially if you are in working with Malick, that that supposed document was a fake document made to frame me. I had been accused a few years before of this same crime when I was at the D.A.'s office. If you extend your investigation you will know this was trumped up by the former name partner, Daniel Hardman, in revenge for me exposing his embezzlement of company equity."

"Why did you hire Donna back? I assume you weren't sleeping with her then?"

"Well, thank you very much for a little integrity, Faye. I am so glad you didn't accuse me of sleeping with her simply because she was my secretary back then."

"She was also your secretary at the D.A.'s office as well, correct?"

"Yes. Go on," Harvey said looking at Faye as from under his eyelids.

"I hired Donna back because she was the best assistant that I could ever have. She was also a good friend to me. I repeat we were not sleeping together then."

"How did you come to the conclusion that the document was falsely planted?"

"I got an accomplice to admit it and he signed that affidavit you see there."

"Why did you not pursue prosecuting Daniel Hardman?"

"Because Jessica and I wanted to forget his presence here and thought if we just left him alone, he would go away. We did not need him to keep coming back and planting false accusations and thinking if he planted the right one my firm would be his again."

"So for his own good you did not pursue? Am I right?"

"Yes. Is there anything else?"

"It seems you are more benevolent then your reputation allows, Mr. Specter," Faye remarked.

"What else?" Harvey asked clearly annoyed and restless. His stare bored into Faye. It did not seem to have the effect on her he wanted.

The next file pulled from her pile was the record of Mike's approval to be granted a lawyer's license.

"I pulled this from the Bar's files on past hearings. I just wanted to inquire whether Jessica Pearson testified as to her knowledge of Mike Ross' fraud in deference to you. As I see it, he was your protege and you did not even testify that you did not know that he was a fraud. Could it be, Harvey, that Jessica took the bullet for you?"

Harvey squirmed. This was a question he was really not wanting to answer. He knew Faye would trip him up with something like this or, perhaps, she had spoken with Anita Gibbs who had had it in for Harvey since poor Mike had been arrested and made a deal to go to jail. She had helped give Mike his license but that did not make her like Harvey any better.

"Listen, Faye. As far as I know Jessica hired him for me. I had just made Senior Partner and as such I was entitled to have my own associate. Jessica matched him with me, and we worked well together. I taught him what I could teach him about real world law and then he was arrested five years later. She testified because she knew he was an asset as a lawyer and would do good in the world. Now I told you what Jessica did and how it concerned me, so I don't know what else you want me to say."

Faye had begun to make notes which really annoyed Harvey. _This woman is as cool as a cucumber. I cannot rattle her. I can't even charm her not that I would want to. She's really good._

"We're not done yet, Mr. Specter."

"Next," Harvey said looking at his watch. "I have a depo in about three minutes so you'd better hurry up with your next accusation."

"You're hostile. Watch it. It could be interpreted as guilt."

"Just ask your question," Harvey said his volume getting slightly louder. He could see from the corner glass panel that Gloria was about to interrupt to remind him of his depo. He gave her an acknowledging look and she settled back at her seat.

"Why would you waive conflict with two clients from your firm? You know that's acting in bad faith; yet you did it anyway causing Robert Zane to lose his license to practice law."

"Ok, just for the record, I mentioned to Simon that my firm represented Kessler Furniture. Thomas Kessler had been Louis' client for a very long time. However, my client for Pierpont Malls really said he wanted to have Kessler in a deal to put his furniture in his malls. It was a great deal and I spoke with Alex whom Louis gave to Thomas. Alex wanted nothing to do with it, but we all met and decided it was the best thing to do and they only had to sign the papers. When Simon backed out and admitted he had been using Kessler as a stalking horse, I never mentioned it to anyone and worked to get Simon to take the original deal."

"Yes, I see that here. Did Donna have anything to do with this?"

"No, she matched a general counsel with Kessler on Louis' behalf. That was all she had to do with the case."

"You're sure?" Faye asked.

"You have everything in writing including the hearing transcripts I am sure. So I am not sure why we are still talking. Well we are done here. I have a deposition now. Excuse me," Harvey said getting up buttoning his jacket and proceeding to the conference room for a deposition.

Faye made her last notes and then decided she would observe Harvey in his deposition.


	5. Chapter 5

**HI Folks! I am trying my best to finish this before S9 premier this Wednesday. I hope you are sticking with me as the s**t is hitting the fan! Please continue to R&R and thank you so much for following and liking. Love - Carebearmaxi**

Bringing It Home

Chapter 5

Before Mike visited Sheila, he knew his trip back home to Seattle and Rachel was not going to be a fast turnaround. He gave her a call the previous morning before he saw Sheila.

"Hey, Rachel, it's me," Mike said over his cell as he sat in Harvey's car with Ray driving. Harvey said Mike using Ray as a mode of transportation was the least Harvey could do for Mike while he worked on solving the extortion issue for he, Louis, Donna, Samantha, and Alex. Ray was happy to see Mike as well. They shook hands like old friends and Ray was also happy to find out that Mike liked being married and how Rachel was faring as well. Ray had just offloaded Harvey and Donna at the firm this lovely Thursday morning; hence, Mike was sitting in the back on his cell.

_"Mike...," Rachel said sleepily. "Do you realize it's five-thirty am here? As much as I love you, I have court today."_

"I know and you're going to be so good..." Mike whimpered back similar to Rachel's tone to him.

_"That's not nice to mimick me at five-thirty am. What do want?" Rachel said._

"I didn't tell you last night but I am going to have to stay longer than anticipated. ZSLWW is in a real pickle. "

_"What do you mean "real pickle"? I thought it was a simple extortion case," Rachel said becoming more awake as thoughts of concern were raised pertaining to their friends at the old firm._

"I'm not sure how extensive but I have a strategy that might take time. I just wanted to ask you if you told the Landlord of our old apartment that we were keeping it open?"

_"I called him yesterday to make sure he had not sublet it to anyone and forgot to tell us. You remember four months ago with my parents." Rachel said remembering the confusion the Landlord could not seem to figure out until she verbally whiplashed him and the treatment of her father. _

"So I'm cleared to go back in and stay?" Mike asked feeling badly that he had awoken his wife at such an early time knowing she had court.

_"You're good. Now, Mike, if you don't mind I need to go back to sleep..."Rachel whispered._

"No problem, babe. Say, how about Harvey and Donna..." Mike asked enthusiastically.

The only sound was that of Rachel breathing deeply as she had fallen asleep with her cell in her hand.

Harvey and Donna had spent a quiet night. After Mike left, Donna pled that she needed a bath. About an hour in, knowing the water was probably cold, Harvey knocked at the door of his bathroom. He received no answer. He went in scared of what he would find. He was relieved when he did walk in and found that Donna's head was very securely propped on a pillow and she had her wireless ear buds on and was moving her head back and forth with her eyes peacefully shut.

"Donna!" Harvey shouted as he watched her conducting the orchestra with her eyes closed and her hands waving. He took one of her waving hands and caught it in his and gently kissed it.

"Donna!" He called again and got no response until she opened her eyes and felt the kiss on her hand which had turned prunie from the long time she had spent in the tub.

She jumped when she saw it was him although her subconscious had already known it. She sat up and removed her earbuds with her now dry hand while Harvey caught her chunky bath pillow and placed it on the toilet.

"Harvey! You startled me," Donna gasped as she held a hand to her chest.

Harvey could not help smiling when he saw how lost she had been and how she had jumped when she had acknowledged him there.

"I'm sorry. What were you listening to? I assume something classical because you were conducting."

"Yes, it was Beethoven, I think. All I know is that it's on my playlist. My mother would know who it was," Donna said blushing. "What do you mean coming in here and scaring the shit out of me! Do you want me to drown?"

Donna fake punched him and Harvey pretended to be hurt.

After he had stopped giggling, he calmed said, "I came in here to see if you were alive. Do you realize how long you've been in here? It must be at least an hour."

"I don't care how long I've been in here. I needed to relax," Donna said. "The water is cold and all my bubbles are gone. I guess I'd better get out of here before I catch a cold."

"Sounds good to me," Harvey said handing her matching dark blue plush robe and a towel for her hair.

As he helped and watched her, he asked, "Hey, I need to talk with you about something."

"Ok, sure. Pour me a cup of that womderful after dinner drink you make so well and you're on."

Harvey smirked. "You mean hot chocolate - Specter style? It's May!"

"So? You keep this place at subfreezing temperatures my love. No wonder you don't like to sleep alone. You must be freezing!"

"Ha ha," Harvey retorted sarcastically. "I'll be concocting your hot chocolate while you finish your womanly routine."

"All right, mister. You don't think I am silky to the touch without all my lotions and routine, do you? Because if I don't do this then you will be cuddling up to a large version of Bob the Cactus. You wouldn't want to cuddle up to Bob over there, right? So be a good guy and get your pretty little self in the kitchen and make my hot chocolate," Donna said with raised eyebrows and a low sarcastic tone of voice.

"By the way, I love you," Donna called as he left the room.

Harvey thought the few times their lovemaking went from tub to bed he would hardly have called her silky smooth soft skin a cactus. _Well, I guess she has her routine and I have mine. _ It was not the first time that a woman with whom he had been sleeping had an nightly routine, but it was the first time that he noted Donna had one as well.

"I love you, too!" Harvey called back.

Later as they sat on the couch sipping Harvey's version of hot chocolate which contained large dollops of whipped cream and a strawberry and a little extra Hershey's chocolate in the cup for dipping, Donna watched Harvey and his eyes had become hooded. _He's really dealing badly with this Special Master problem and then the extortion plot on top of it. He looks a little less stressed than before Mike had said he would help, but he's struggling...well we both are._

"Harvey," Donna said as she snuggled closer on the couch with him. She had put some pajamas on underneath the robe and sat with her legs curled under her. Harvey sat with his mug in his hand and just staring at it. He had a replay of a Yankees' baseball game on the TV above the fireplace, but the sound was muted so there was no sound to distract them. Donna was distracted by the light, so she grabbed the remote that lay on the coffee table and shut it off completely. Harvey did not even flinch.

"Harvey," Donna said.

He suddenly came to life and asked, "How's your chocolate?" He change his position and took a sip of his own chocolate.

"It's delicious as usual."

Harvey started to rise and then Donna placed a restraining hand on his arm.

"Harvey. You wanted to talk about something?"

Harvey sat back down and put his now empty mug on the table. He sat pensively and then looked at his girlfriend, his COO, his best friend in the whole world and said, "Do you think it's right that Louis called Mike to help with this extortion case. I don't want him to lose his license after all Jessica and we did to get NY Bar Association to give it to him."

"Well, his main practice is in Seattle now. I don't think any implications in this case will be as far reaching as Seattle. It's not like it's Chicago," Donna tried to logically deduce.

"No. What about Faye? Do you think if she breathes a word of this and sees Mike's interference then she can retroactively take his license?"

"Harvey. Let's see what Mike can do first before we put any bogies in front of him. By the way, how long does your probation last?"

Harvey turned his head to look at Donna so quickly. He should not be surprised that she knew he had been put on probation without him having said a word about it. Harvey had not lost sight of the fact that the reason Faye was ensconced in their offices were his practices of playing close to the edge.

"How did you know?"

"You looked a little too relieved to let Mike investigate this extortion case all by his lonesome. I know you are chomping at the bit to do your part."

"That's why I asked you what you thought," Harvey said. "I don't want Mike to not have the right to practice again over something that I did. I can't take another person taking a bullet for me. It would be the second time for him. He went to jail, and it should have been me."

"And you did everything in your power to be sure he wasn't killed in there and you bent over backwards and did everything you could to work a deal with Sean Cahill to be sure Mike would not waste two years of his life in that place!" Donna exclaimed quietly coming to hold Harvey's shoulders so he would know she would always be his rock as he had always been hers.

After a minute, Donna tried to soothe the knots out of Harvey's back as he had tried with her earlier in the day, she asked, "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go to my firm tomorrow and sit tight. I will help Mike if he needs it whether Faye Richardson likes it or not. She sat in on my deposition yesterday, and I have to say I felt extremely awkward. I did not want to respond like I should have to a couple of questionable pieces of testimony. That's not like me, Donna. The woman had me in a strait jacket."

"No, I know. I had to walk all the papers needed for Louis signatures, run my quarterly figures over to her so she could make sure the firm's money is being spent correctly. Louis gave me two associates to fire and I felt strange running them by her and she told me to retain them."

"So what did you do?"

"I retained them. Louis is going to hit the roof when he discovers that. Sheila had given him a couple of star candidates for internship."

Donna laid her head on Harvey's shoulder and sighed. He leaned his head on top of hers and then said, "Let's go to bed. We'll let tomorrow be tomorrow."

Therefore, when Ray dropped them off at the firm the next morning both of them entered with a lot less enthusiasm than they normal did. Since being a couple for them was still new and Harvey loved being able to touch her without fearing he was intruding on their friendship they would enter hand-in-hand and continue to quietly hold hands in the elevator and look lovingly at each other.

Today was different. Today had an ominous feel to it. The air felt heavy although it was a lovely spring day outside. Harvey and Donna remained silent with their own thoughts and then somehow able to communicate them silently to one another so in tuned were they. Professionally they had always been together and supportive even when Donna had worked for Louis for a short six months. She defended Harvey to Louis and threatened that if he tried to do something to hurt him she would no longer be there as his secretary.

However, this time they were both along with Samantha, Louis, and Alex under the gun professionally. As name partners and, she, an officer of the firm their actions were directly responsible for what happened next.

The bell rang and the silver doors opened. As they loaded into the metal box to go 50 stories, Harvey took Donna's hand and gave her an encouraging smile. _We'll get through this together! Just like we always do._

Mike knocked on Thomas Kessler's office door. He had taken a walk around the warehouse and the upper offices and admired the seemingly peaceful workers at their desks, in the assemblies, etc. He finally walked up to the top floor which looked like it was constructed onto a large scaffolding. Mike had found no receptionist or secretary perched outside the office door, so he just knocked on the glass door.

Thomas gestured for Mike to enter as he was on his phone. Mike entered as he was bid. He recognized Thomas from the pictures in the file that Mike now carried. Thomas, after it seemed an eternity, closed the call and stood to shake hands with Mike.

"Mike Ross," Thomas greeted.

"Mr. Kessler, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," Mike said as he resumed his seat as did Thomas.

"Well, Donna told me that you used to work at ZSLWW. She mentioned you were a very special friend. I know that things didn't work out between she and me, but I always trusted her when she told me about special friends."

"I wouldn't be with my wife, it if wasn't for her," Mike said.

"By the way, how is Donna?"

"She's good." Mike had stated. There was no need to continue this line of conversation. Mike was 99.9% sure that Thomas knew she was with Harvey now and it was probably partially behind the reason he was here.

"Now, tell me why you needed to see me," Thomas said sitting back in his chair.

"How well do you know Brendan Colby?"

"He's my general counsel. I think he's great, why?"

"Would you ask him to extort money for you based on the Pearson Specter Litt private files that no one would know of?"

"What are you telling me, Mr. Ross?"

"Aw come on, you are going to sit here and tell me because of how your deal fell through with Pierpont Malls and you lost Donna that you didn't have him dig around in personal company databases to find something to hold over their heads?"

"I am not that kind of man, Mr. Ross. I faced my losses and I did retaliate with an article to the Journal, but I am not vindictive. I don't have time for that. If you are saying that Brendan has been doing something illegal and putting my name on it, I have a right to know."

"That's what I thought. You aren't in on it."

"In on what? I am completely in the dark, here. If you know something, please tell me."

Mike pulled the file containing the extortion letter with Kessler's logo printed on it.

"A week ago, Louis Litt received this in his personal mail. He is concerned because I understand you were one of his oldest clients and you basically got screwed by the firm unintentionally a few weeks ago."

Thomas took the file and examined the signature at the bottom of the letter- _Brendan Colby _. He read it and Thomas was surprised that the subject of the Partnership Agreement concerned the man sitting in front of him.

"This concerns a partnership agreement that Louis signed when becoming a name partner that he knew about you as a fraud. I just want out of this whole relationship with this firm. I trusted people because I had never been led wrong until Harvey Specter and his then client Simon Lowe used me. I did lose in the long run, but my only satisfaction was that Simon Lowe lost as well for being an underhanded businessman. I will consult Brendan on this."

"Actually Mr. Kessler, I would prefer to handle this myself. I know he's your lawyer; but if you want I can have an affidavit written that you are absolved of this crime as Mr. Colby did this without your knowledge or consent and if you will have your secretary type of a letter of counsel dismissal naming those terms and whatever else you need to thrown in, I would be happy to represent you temporarily as I am a licensed attorney in NYC as well as Seattle and make this whole business go away."

Thomas looked pensive with his fingers steepled in front of him and his legs crossed.

"What if Brendan as a trick up his sleeve and will not sign a dismissal letter or any other documents you type up?"

"He is acting as an agent for you. He cannot refuse your dismissal. I just want him to destroy whatever evidence he has and give me the person who gave it to him. That is the person who needs to be brought up on charges," Mike said confidently. He could understand just by the few minutes he has shared with Thomas why Donna would have been attracted to him.

Thomas stood up and held out his hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Ross, for bringing this to my attention and having a solution. As much as I was hurt by ZSLWW, I would never want to bring their firm down as long as Donna and Louis are working there."

"You know, Harvey, is not a bad man. I'm sure you realized this as he wanted to protect Donna at all costs. He'd be the first to admit to a close friend or someone he could trust that he did not always work in the black and white. He's a good friend to me and my wife and he has always done his best to take care of those he truly cares about. So don't think too harshly of him," Mike said as he shook Thomas' hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Ross. I will have the documents you need plus a signed letter of engagement to you by this afternoon." As far as Thomas was concerned, the jury was still out on Harvey Specter.

Mike just nodded and left.

When Harvey and Donna arrived on the 50th floor, Louis stood at reception waiting for them.

"Did you talk to Mike?"

"Yes, Louis we did. He's working on the situation as we speak. Now keep calm. He should be calling anytime now with what his plans are. Remember do not speak of word of this while we're in the office. Last thing we need is Faye to overhear anything," Harvey said as they dumped Louis off at his office. Donna had backtracked a few steps into her office when she heard Faye call her. She quickly squeezed Harvey's hand in a temporary goodbye and walked into Faye's office.

Harvey, in the meantime, greeted Gloria and stepped into his office where he closed the door. This was a big signal to everyone that Harvey was working. Normally his office door was open to all, but lately Gloria had to have his intercom on so she could know if he needed anything. She knew she had big shoes to fill having following Donna, the COO's footsteps. Donna had complimented her one day that Harvey never complained about his assistant, so that meant she was doing a good job. Harvey was not one who showered co-workers or subordinates with compliments, but she knew that if Harvey was not complaining than he was happy with the situation.

_"Gloria," Harvey buzzed into the intercom._

"Yes, Harvey," Gloria answered. "What can I do for you this morning? Your calendar events are mapped out for you on your desk and I have left the coordinating files with the paperwork to be signed."

_"Thank you, Gloria. I am not to be disturbed for the last hour. I have some new prospective clients to engage. So I will be buried in casework for the next hour."_

"Harvey, what if Ms. Richardson or Ms. Paulsen need you?" Gloria asked already knowing his answer.

_"You can tell Faye to go to hell. Don't tell her that just make up an excuse for Faye to tell her I will consult with her later. However, Donna is always an exception. I am always available for her."_

" Understood. I would not have told Ms. Richardson to go to hell for you just be reassured. I know you're frustrated with her. However, all is just as I thought. No problem, Harvey."

_"Thanks, Gloria," Harvey took his finger off the button._

Harvey was working through his paperwork on his prospective clients when a joint text message beeped on his phone. The joint text for himself, Louis, and Donna was from Mike telling of his conversation results with Thomas and what he planned to do.

DP: Be careful, Mike. You can't afford to lose your license in New York.

MR: There should be no way anybody can get to me that way. I am not the one lying here. Thomas has signed off on me representing him in this case which I am really surprised.

DP: Thomas is a good man.

HS: Except he has no love for me.

LL: Let's get back to the big picture here. You really think this will be that easy, Mike?

MR: When has anything we worked on ever been easy? However, should be better than not. Once we find out who is really behind this then we can press charges against that person for extortion and Brendan will be seen as an accessory and turn evidence. Should work.

HS: Yes, it should if I remember my criminal justice days. Be careful.

DP: Yes, Mike.

LL: Yes, Mike

MR: I got this

They all stopped texting after Mike's last sentence as there was no more to say and there was a knock on Harvey's door.

Donna, before receiving the text, had met with Faye in Faye's office. As she had thought, Faye wanted that analysis and was displeased to find that it was not on her desk. Donna was able to explain her lack of report ability to Robert when he was managing partner and convince him that the types of analysis he was exacting would be better calculated and more formally reported by an independent accounting firm. Last time, Robert used the one that had audited them the previous year. Seemingly money was not the legal or illegal issue surrounding Faye's control of their firm.

However, Faye was not going to fall for Donna "The MP Whisperer" act. Faye worked from a different playbook. If you are a COO, there are certain responsibilities that fell onto you and much of it fell to the different departments and how efficiently they operated. Many times financial matters were a concern especially when it came to the Partners' bonuses and the clerical staff's salaries. The firm's income based on certain factors was another item. Donna was intelligent and smart and knew how to maneuver, but accounting minutiae and large statistics were not her forte. Donna knew more and more how to accommodate what things were necessary by the government in an LLC (which ZSLWW was), but Faye alway managed to ask a question that would make Donna second guess herself. However, no matter how objectively Faye thought she was. Donna was made to feel inferior.

Donna knew she earned her position but many times in working with professional females that knew the firm and knew from where Donna came concluded that sleeping with the managing partner was the only way she could have attained her position. Donna would always remember Malick's implications during that erstwhile financial fraud case. To herself and others, she told Malick to go pound sand, however, now as she stood before Faye trying to defend her position and why certain things were not in her purview Donna felt as if she had to beg to keep her job.

As Donna stood in front of Faye's imperialistic face, Donna stood her ground without bursting into tears when Faye told her she was fired.

"What do you mean fired? I have never once not run this firm as it should be run. I have provided every legal report, transaction, and relationship as is. I have never once not given my all to this firm. Just because I did not complete one little task, you're going to fire me? That makes no sense."

"Donna, I told you that you were on probation and that meant that you do whatever I tell you when I tell you. I needed those analyses this morning for my first call to the Bar. Now I don't have it, I have to do it myself. So get into your office and grab me what you have completed so far. You can have the entire day to clean out your office."

"It's because Harvey and I are a couple plus all the years I worked as his assistant. You think that I'm the reason why things happened the way they did."

"No!" Faye said rising. "I think he's the reason, but as long as you are here to protect him as it seems everyone else does I cannot objectively know he is doing his job legally and to the best of his ability!"

Donna started walking away and then the text message came in from Mike. Not letting one word escape her typing, she walked slowly into her office now for the last time. _I hope Harvey is busy and preoccupied because I can't tell him now. He'll be the next one fired. _

With tears in her eyes, Donna started to clean out her office and remove her personal effects.

Donna's back was turned toward the far wall in her office as she removed her personal knick-knacks from her shelves.

"Going somewhere?" A voice asked.


	6. Chapter 6

**HI Folks! I almost goofed and published Chapter 7 before Chapter 6. Just a shorty here, but the next is longer. Of course let me know what you think. Love - Carebearmaxi**.

Bringing It Home

Chapter 6

_Gretchen. Thank God it wasn't Harvey Donna thought._

"Gretchen," Donna said rising from kneeling and turning around. The minute Donna turned around Gretchen had surmised what had happened.

"That happy harridan just fired you, didn't she? Don't try to hide it from me because you can't!" Gretchen was furious. Not for herself because she was a secretary so she was used to obeying orders, but not her friends and especially not Donna who had worked her ass off to become the COO. Just because she's finally found the right man who happens to be one of the name partners should not mean she loses her job. _There has to be more to this than that Gretchen thought._

"I'm getting Harvey. He won't stand for this and neither will Louis."

Just as Gretchen was turning away, Donna caught her arm. "Don't," Donna said quietly shaking her head.

"Faye thinks that if I'm not here she can catch Harvey at not following the letter of the law. She thinks I protect him too much."

"Well, if you'd ask me, you try and many times he listens but again he sometimes doesn't. I don't think that's really a fair assumption, but she's going to think what she thinks," Gretchen reasoned.

"I still think you should at least tell Louis. I'm sure he's not under as much suspicion as Harvey. Maybe she'll listen to reason if he says something."

"No, Gretchen. You can tell Louis, but do not let him talk to Faye. He has enough going on."

Gretchen stood there looking up with a question in her eyes. She knew about the extortion suit that was going on Louis' life. He, of course, was bearing the brunt of Faye's interference as he was managing partner, and Gretchen realized the other circumstances of Louis' personal life: Sheila and the baby. Donna's words held enough nuance that Gretchen knew that Donna knew what they both knew was happening behind the scenes. Gretchen thought better to battle first with the shock of Donna's firing.

After a moment, Gretchen said, "Well, I hope you aren't thinking that you won't be back here soon. Because then I would think you were feeling sorry for yourself and I know that's not like you, Red."

Donna smiled through tears pouring down her cheeks. Just then Harvey decided to walk into her office. He noticed the two women talking and then noticed all of a sudden Donna's personal effects and files strewn all over her floor. Donna liked a tidy desk and her tchotchkes perfectly spaced. Her office looked like a hurricane-_Oh no! What did Faye do?_

"Gretchen, could I please have a minute with Donna?"

"You certainly can," Gretchen hoping that Harvey had surmised the situation and that was why he wanted to talk with Donna privately.

"Ok, give to me straight, right the hell now, Donna!" Harvey was stern and fierce in tone because he wanted no hedging from Donna but for her to give it to him straight.

"I'm just tidying up a bit," Donna said picking up the beloved can opener where it sat on her shelf and began to put it in a box.

"Donna," Harvey said in a softer tone. The special one he used just for her. "What did Faye do?"

Donna put down the can opener and turned around to look at her boyfriend. She looked up into his face and his soft deep brown eyes were so full of love and care. She wanted to hide in them forever.

"She fired me!"

"Fired you! What the hell for?"

Donna shook her head. She did not want to lay any guilt for her loss on him. He had enough being on probation and being told what he was allowed to do and not allowed to do in his own firm-their firm.

"It's because of me, isn't it?"

Donna finally nodded."She thinks I protect you. She thinks as long as I'm here you won't misstep or do something borderline illegal."

"Well, we'll see about that. Without you this firm will fall around our ears! We all know it!"

Donna quickly rose to her full height and confronted Harvey.

"Harvey! Stop! If you do this she will just fire you as well. If we mind our steps and prove to her we can do things the right way, she'll have no reason to stay here. Then I can come back and all will be well."

Harvey's face fell and his big brown eyes watered. He looked like a little boy who just lost his best friend...well...maybe. He held Donna by each upper arm and then pulled her in close by crossing his arms around her waist.

"Donna, I can't make it here without you," Harvey said. They rocked a little as Harvey held her. "You know that. Everytime you left I came to get you back. I will just have to do the same now. Besides you deserve to stay here."

"Harvey," Donna said caressing his cheek with her palm.

"No, I really don't," she whispered. "I'm the whole reason that Robert had to take a hit for you and me. But in time if I leave and Faye-"

"No. I'll resign. The rest of them know how to fly right-" Harvey volunteered grimacing with his mouth and clenching and unclenching his jaw.

"What about Samantha? She's a free wheeler like you. Do you think she's going to be ok without a tempering voice?"

"That's what you do."

"Nonsense. Samantha needs another lawyer not just..." Donna was saying when Harvey had enough of words and taking her face in his hands kissed her sweetly.

"I can't live without that either," he said.

They released one another and Donna resumed placing things in her box. Harvey then bent and began to help her.

"You'll be back. Don't worry."

"I know." Donna said and looked at Harvey with a brittle but reassuring smile.

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Louis had just heard from Faye that she had fired Donna. His head dropped into his hands. Donna may not be perfect at her job and be the one to blame for all of this shit, but the woman did not deserve to lose her position. Harvey was right when he made her a partner and gave her the title of COO. Louis then was surprised that the roof had not come off the building because he knew Harvey would be a volcano ready to blow. A man without his stabilizing force.

Louis thought he should pay a visit to both Faye and Harvey. He decided Harvey first.

Louis knocked on Harvey's door.

"Louis, I gather you heard about Donna?" Harvey said dropping his pen and folding his hands angelically in front of him. His voice was deep with concern and unrest.

"Yes, I did. She doesn't deserve this despite what happened with Kessler and Robert."

"I know she doesn't," Harvey said looking around his office quickly and clenching his jaw. His temper was rising at the thought that Donna was again putting everyone at the firm before her by not fighting. She claimed it was because Faye had told her that she protects him. _She does Harvey reasoned._

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go into Faye's office and demand what does she think she is doing and explain to her that without Donna this whole firm will go to hell in a handbasket."

"Why haven't you done it yet?"

"Donna told me to watch my step or I will get fired. She also wants to make sure that I'm here because it seems Samantha is more the wild card than me these days."

"I think Donna's right about that. Samantha is still reeling from Robert's disbarment. She took it very personally."

"Have you heard from Mike, Louis?" Harvey asked.

"Yes, he said he would be back later to let me know how things went with meeting Colby."

"Ok, I will be eager to hear what he finds out. You're in good hands, Louis. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do. Mike is a brilliant lawyer.

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Faye looked up as Louis walked into her office.

"You are making a huge mistake," Louis said sternly.

"You mean firing Donna Paulsen. I don't think so," Faye said succinctly.

"You are only going to antagonize Harvey and everyone else who knows her and depends on her," Louis continued.

"I think you mean Harvey mainly because of his "outside the office" relationship with her."

"Faye, you know nothing about them. They are mature adults who have waited forever to be together," Louis started to defend them.

"I don't care. There cannot be a word of their relationship breathed in or out of this office. It does nothing to the already tarnished reputation."

"So help me, Faye. If you rip my two best friends in the world apart after all the years they denied themselves, I will not be responsible for my actions."

Faye did not even flinch. She just moved forward in her seat holding her pen in her two hands and seemingly looked at Louis straight in the eyes over it.

"I don't care about their relationship. If they can't contain it, then Harvey can go wallow with his girlfriend in their unemployment. It is not how the firm should be represented. The COO and the first name partner enjoying a personal relationship yet still working together."

Louis popped up. "Don't be so sanctimonious. It happens all over. Sometimes it's nothing more than sex, but I guess you wouldn't know about that since no one has looked at you for years."

Faye still did not flinch. "This is not personal, Louis. It is my job. I don't care what you think of me personally or my love life. I don't bring it in here. I am here for the sole purpose of keeping you in the bar or dismissing you. I don't care if you have sex orgies outside the office with each other, but it is not to be carried on among the leadership during business hours."

"This will bite you in the ass, lady. Just you wait."

Louis walked out of the office feeling like he said what he wanted to say, but that it did their case in her eyes no good.


	7. Chapter 7

**HI Folks! Tomorrow we'll be at 9x02 already! Here is the next chapter in my more serious Darvey Canon fic. I came up with a villain long before the spoiler yesterday, but we'll see! Please let me know if you like this. Thank you to all the new followers and favoriters. Please let me know what you like or why you want to follow if you can. I love hearing from you and and I feel so flattered that my work is appreciated. Love - Carebearmaxi**

Bringing It Home

Chapter 7

The fallout from Donna's firing was worse than Faye had ever thought. Faye realized when she first arrived by just observing that Donna was the steadying force. She was the one who managed to keep the others inline and to think what was best for the firm or sometimes what was best for the lawyer or person involved. This was the reason why Donna could not be here. Without her steadying influence interceding where no COO should go, Faye could now make a fair evaluation of this firm and its practices.

In the meantime, Louis had handed her a case which she needed to review. There were six other case files on her desk with multiple affidavits, testimonies, evidence tucked into their folds. Faye realized it would be a lot of work, but she would do it and interview the lawyers and maybe sit in on the depositions again like she had Harvey's.

Thinking of that day, Faye was appalled at how Harvey had attacked his witness. Granted the case was one of infidelity and how it effected the corporate side of the married owners. It was Harvey's job to get this witness' testimony ready for court, but the flow was not natural and Faye knew that Harvey had wanted to say a few things off the record and set laws straight before the case was taken to trial. Knowing very little of his character other than Harvey's tough reputation gave Faye the idea that Harvey was nothing but a bully.

Faye opened the file that had two associates assigned to it. Seemingly this was a reoccurring issue with this certain small firm. Ancient history had shown that one of the long ago associates who had been assigend to the case was Michael Ross. At once, Faye knew that this must have been one of the cases originally settled in the Class Action Suit the original partners had wrought when Mike Ross had been arrested and taken to jail. Yet, again, it seemed this chemical company was still dumping illegal remnants of toxic waste onto the edges of school property.

As she started to read some of the work in the chemical file suit, Harvey stormed into her office.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing. I might ask you the same question," Faye said placing her file sedately down on the tabletop. She was sitting in Conference Room 1 which was next to Donna's office and Louis'.

"You fired Donna?"

"Yes, she lacks the educational requirements for her job and she does not do part of the job that is required of a COO."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means exactly what I said it means. There are some lapses on items which are necessary to a person in her position and those skills are lacking. This does not allow your firm to run at tip top shape. So if the firm doesn't look good then it reflects on the NY Bar for allowing a sublevel firm to be included."

"This is because of our relationship, isn't it! You don't understand our work dynamic..."

"Your work dynamic is what is in question. Now I have made my decision and if you decide to fight me on this or do anything to undermine my time here you can hand in your resignation."

Harvey was about to open his mouth and say that it would be on her desk by evening, but in the back of his mind he had just recalled his conversation with Donna. Donna would not want him to resign. She knew in the way she always did that his resignation would not solve the problem of forcing Faye out or giving her the perfect report card she was looking for.

"Ok, Faye, but I just wanted you to know that Donna was never the problem around here."

Faye looked up at Harvey and uttered: "We'll see."

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While this was happening, Mike Ross paid a visit to Brendan Colby the author of the extortion case pending Zane Specter Litt Wheeler Williams.

"Brendan Colby," Mike said shaking the man's hand. Mike had given a sob story about a case he was working where properties lines were disputed. The matter had grown ugly and he wanted advice from an attorney who was used to working with private and commercial properties.

"Mike Ross," Brendan said in return by shaking his hand. Brendan was a regular looking guy with brown hair, blue eyes hidden behind wire rimmed glasses. There was nothing that stood out when you met him: he was not fat, nor too thin, nor dressed in exorbitantly priced suits. He was your "average Joe".

They sat down and Mike handed him a file. It was one that Mike had settled way before he had moved to Seattle. The real file was still in Mike's hand and ready to be whipped out at a moment's notice.

"Well, I see you have quite a dilemma here. Insurance fraud and it seems this man is taking the hit for the entire corporation," Brendan seemingly immersed in the facts of the case.

"I read that you were working on a case of fraud much like this one and I thought I should consult you," Mike said.

"Well, I can point you in the right direction because to tell you the truth I am leaving New York for Florida soon."

"What to represent the elderly who retire down there being scammed? I must say that is a very altruistic way to use your skills," Mike remarked innocently knowing what was coming next.

"To retire, Mr. Ross," Brendan sat back and handed the faux file back to him.

"To retire. You seem quite young to retire. You must be a lucky man with your finances."

"No, I just have some irons in the fire and I feel they will be paying off shortly. You know creative financing. I worked with the right brokers and we were able to work miracles."

Mike smiled and shook his head. _How predictable. Take the money and disappear and keep extorting until you're either caught or dead. Not on my watch._

"Well, I am assuming that those "irons in the fire" are at the expense of ZaneSpecterLitt Wheeler Williams?"

Brendan looked absolutely innocent. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Ross and I re-"

"sent the implications. Cut the bullshit. I have evidence that you used your former client Thomas Kessler as a means to extort or blackmail whatever word you would like to use ZSLWW on a private matter that you knew went public would destroy their firm. Not only would this disbar most of the attorneys at that law firm you would be able poach a lot of clients that you could spread around to your cronies in Florida. Am I right?"

Mike flopped the other file on Brendan's desk.

All of a sudden dawn rose in Brendan Colby's face, "Mike Ross...you're the Mike Ross mentioned in the partners' agreement that Louis Litt had signed."

"Yes, I am. Louis is my friend as are all the others at that firm. Now, I have removed you from Thomas Kessler as I know he is not responsible for this little scheme. I have his sworn affidavit that he never employed you or any other lawyer to commit a crime on his behalf. I also have a dismissal letter so you are no longer representing Mr. Kessler and he does expect some recompense."

As Mike spoke he flopped the documents he spoke of on top of the file that sat on Brendan's desk.

"Last but not least, here is a document I want you to sign and I will have it notarized so everyone knows it is nice and legal," Mike said removing a pen from his jacket's inner pocket.

"What is this?"

"This is a document where you can fill in the blank and sign as to the veracity of the statement."

"What will this do?"

"It will absolve you or at least lessen your participation in this charade and, perhaps, get you a lighter sentence with the court."

Brendan adjusted his glasses and then read the document.

"You don't understand I was made a promise that I thought would be easy to keep seeing that ZSLWW will be removed from the NY Bar Association any day."

"How do you know that?" Mike asked. His eyes were squinted and his head tilted to the side as if he was having a hard time believing what came out of the other lawyer's mouth; of course, Mike had a hard time believing that someone so average looking could be talked into hurting complete strangers.

"What do you mean?" Mike asked beginning to pray that the next words out of Brendan's mouth were not what he was expecting.

"There is a mole in that office to whom I obtained a copy of Louis Litt's Partner agreement so I could show I was serious. She has taken the original and placed it in Louis Litt's personal file. Faye Richardson will be painstakingly examining these partners' agreements for holes to examine how the company is set up and runs smoothly."

"Son of a bitch. So the original is still in Louis' file. Ok, you are going to name on that document I handed to you the bastard that put you up to this and then sign it. I'm going to try to stop Faye Richardson from taking down the firm."

Mike quickly turned away and hit the speed dial. It was Donna's office. He figured she would be the best one to speak with and prevent the damage from this sneaky move.

There was no answer. He tried her personal cell. No answer. He then tried Louis himself. Louis had not picked up and then he thought-Gretchen. She was as good as Donna and could tell straight away who may have been responsible for this issue.

_"Louis Litt's office."_

"Gretchen!" Mike said with relief;

_ "Mike, Louis isn't here. He's in court," Gretchen cheerily said. She really liked Mike because he was a kind person and loved Rachel very much. He also loved them as much especially Donna and Harvey whom sometimes she thought he considered much like surrogate parents. _

"Of all the associates and clerical staff, is there one person whom you really never trusted or is new and you just don't believe anything that comes out of his/her mouth."

_"Now you know I don't like riddles, Mike. What are you saying?"_

"You know that problem that Louis called me about?"

_"Of course I do. Oh! I know what you mean. Ms. Savannah Lister. "_

"Savannah Lister, " Mike repeated. "Who is she?"

"_She's a paralegal and has access to everything. I found her the other day copying some personal documents from Louis and the other partners' files. I asked her what she was doing and she said that Louis told her she could do this as she needed it for something or the other. I don't recall just what. Sorry about that, my mind is..." Gretchen apologized._

"No that's fine. Where is Savannah?" Mike asked hoping that she did not fly the coop as she was probably being paid by Brendan to do his dirty work.

_"She's not in today. She called in sick from what Donna told me," Gretchen said. "By the way, Mike,...oh nevermind.'_

"What, Gretchen? Is it important?" Mike asked watching Brendan Colby sign the document and also be indecisive as to whose name he should write on top of the document naming names.

_ "Well, you're going to know sooner or later," Gretchen waffled. "Faye fired Donna earlier today."_

"Oh my God! How is she? Harvey must have gone ballistic!"

_"Just about. He was going to resign himself until Donna talked sense into him."_

"Ok, hold tight, Gretchen. I'm coming back there. I just have to wrap up this work that Louis has me doing for him," Mike said finally seeing the name that Brendan wrote on top of the document. Mike could not believe his eyes when he saw the name.

"Now, thank you, Brendan. I suggest you contact your own criminal attorney for you and if you want Ms. Lister because you two are going to court," Mike said folding the signed document, folding it, and stuffed it into his jacket pocket.

While Mike was on his way back, he called Gretchen again and got Savannah Lister's home address and decided to pay a visit. When he arrived at her rather large apartment on the better side of town, he figured that Savannah operated more illegally and than legally as he had pleaded with her superintendant to allow him entrance into her apartment. Mike affected a southern accent as Savannah, he figured, had been born in the south (he was correct) and told the super he was her older brother.

As he had suspected she was long gone from her place, the super had mentioned that she thought her brother was coming in a few days to take the last of her belongings to her new place. Mike convinced the super that that was their other brother, Harvey, who was even older than the both of them and would be there in a few days to take the rest of her things to her new home. _Hopefully jail Mike thought to himself._

He learned as much as he could and as he was riding back in the car to the firm, he removed the signed confession from Brendan and looked again at the name Brendan had written on the top of the paper and was very surprised that this guy would stake his reputation on another chance to hang Harvey and the firm.

The name on the top of the paper was Andrew Malik.

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Mike returned to ZSLWW soon to be just SLWW thanks to Faye Richardson. Mike stepped off the elevator and was proud and somewhat sad to know that all his father-in-law's great legacy of work would now be shamed by what happened only a few weeks ago. He stopped by quickly to thank Gretchen and then went straight to Donna's office where she had sat at her desk finalizing all the paperwork including her own.

"I guess it hurts worse the second time," Mike said as he stood in the doorway to her office. He had been there the first time she was fired because she had destroyed what purported to be a legal piece of documentation for the CMotors case. A lot had changed since then but seemingly Donna's care of Harvey had never and now with Harvey finally acknowledging his love for her Mike had to say he was glad there had been changes.

"Yep, it's worse," Donna said. "So are you coming to rub it in my face that I'm not qualified for my job."

"Now, did you do that to me even when you said I shouldn't be made a senior partner?" Mike said as he stepped closer to Donna's desk.

"Harvey told you I said that didn't he?" Donna asked.

She then rose and they hugged tightly. Mike was such a good friend. The placement of his heart and his emotions had never been held in check like his mentor, so when Donna needed solace or talk over her predicament with Harvey Mike and Rachel had always been right there for her.

However, she now had Harvey and she could run into his arms and he would now hold her tight. In protective mode Harvey was fierce no matter where his affection was. She remembered she wanted him to hug her and tell her everything would be all right during her faux pas with Liberty Rail and Harvey could not do that then, but Mike and Rachel both could. How different now...

"Harvey won't get jealous if he sees me hugging you like this, will he?" Mike asked feeling the breath she was holding release along with a laugh.

"I don't know. However, if you want to test him, I can call him," Donna teased back releasing Mike and patting his cheek feeling strangely maternal as she did so.

"So when are you leaving?"

"I'm waiting for Harvey. He didn't want me to walk out in humiliation by myself."

"Loyal and loving you to the end," Mike said.

"Something like that," she remarked taking a seat behind her desk again.

"You know I really love being COO. I know I don't have some of the qualifications that other COO's do, but I think I was effective. It's funny, though, I thought I would be much more sad at being fired this time. However, I'm not," Donna said.

"Because you know you don't need this position to have Harvey. You have Harvey and he is all you need. Am I right?"

Tears started from her eyes and she stemmed them by ripping a tissue visciously out of the box on her desk.

"Yes, I really do have him. I knew he loved me in some way, but he finally was able to tell me. He didn't tell me with words. He showed me with his actions. Do you know what I mean?"

"I do. I am so happy for you two. When the time is right, I really need to tease Harvey some more about showing his emotions on his sleeve."

"Go easy on him, Mike. He may have taken a giant leap but he's still in baby stages in some ways."

"And you love him," Mike said.

Donna nodded.

"He sure the hell loves you and always has," Mike said.

Just then Harvey decided that second to come in and echo the last part of Mike's sentence.

"...and always has what?" Harvey asked.

"Always loved Donna," Mike said bringing it out in the open.

Instead of rolling his eyes at being softly teased at the new him, Harvey smiled and said, "Yes, I have."

Donna looked at her man and he looked at her very intensely. Mike saw this and began to feel very uncomfortable.

He gave his excuses and then quietly left to look for Louis.

Harvey walked to Donna's desk and then took a seat.

"You do know this is not the last time you'll sit in this office. You will be back especially if I have anything to say about it."

"Thank you, Harvey, but you have enough watching your step with Faye around. I won't be here to be your conscientious."

"You're a cell phone away. I wouldn't worry about that," Harvey said rising. Donna handed him a box of personal effects. They were the same ones she had packed up only a couple of years ago when she thought that Harvey had really decided to spend his life with Paula rather than fight for her. How wonderfully life can change in an instant.

"This is it?" Harvey said looking at the meager belongings.

"If this is not permanent then I'll be back. However, I can always send for the rest and you can bring them with you when you come over."

"Oh I can, can I?" Harvey said with a smirk. _She's smiling. Her tears are there, but I think she's more worried for me than for herself just like she's always done. Worrying about what was best for me. This is not permanent. I will for sure see it is not!_

Harvey leaned over the box and kissed her.

"Let's go home."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi Folks! Here is my latest update to my little fic about Faye and the rest of the gang at ZSLWW. I just wanted to shout out to all my new favoriters and followers. Thank you so much! So appreciate it. Now I would like to shout out to Darveyfanco who wrote me a great review for this story and flattered me greatly for my writing. Thank you. Also a special shout out to Alexandra99 who I think must have read every Darvey fic I wrote within a day's period. Thank you so much for that. Here's the latest and last real chapter of the story. Let me know what you think. Love - Carebearmaxi**

Bringing It Home

Chapter 8

Harvey was awake at 7:00 am. He was due in the office by 8:30 am. He found himself spooned around Donna. She was already awake as her weekday routine would not have left her this quickly. This was the first time in a long time where he knew she would not be in her office for him to come visit her. This fact burned him up inside. In response he pulled her closer into his chest and buried his nose in her hair.

"Harvey, it's ok. I know. You'll be late if you don't get ready soon," Donna said softly patting his hand where it surround her waist.

"You will be with me again before you know it. I always say 'I can't be me without you."

Donna turned over in his arms and roll them both over. She languished half laying on top of him. She had her head nestled on his chest and her arm slung over him. His arm was around her back and he could reach all the way to her delicious ass and his other arm held her hand with their fingers intertwined.

Harvey could lie all day with her in his arms. Many a day since he came to his senses and realized they belonged together he only wanted to stay cocooned with her in their love bubble. The more that Faye exacted her weight on them the more he wanted to stay with Donna and not bother fighting anymore.

"Harvey. As much as I want you to stay here all day with me, you need to get your pretty little self in that office and be a good lawyer. Your clients are counting on you and you can't let your partners down to fight the good fight."

"Louis. I need to find out what Mike's doing. I know he talked with Louis about his investigation yesterday, but..."

At that moment, Harvey's cell rang and almost vibrated itself into a frenzy. He reached back with his one hand and retrieved the phone. Donna made like she was turning over, but Harvey took that minute to pull her closer to himself and lightly run his fingers up and down her back while he spoke on the phone. Donna shivered at his touch and placed her leg between both of Harvey's and nestled in closer. She started to nuzzle with her nose at his neck and lay tiny kisses up and down. He leaned into her touch and she became a little more aggressive in her moves as his stroking fueled her desire for him.

"Ok, Mike...I'll see you in about an hour," Harvey barely managed to say as he dropped the phone on the floor and responded to Donna's affection. He snuggled down the bed and rolled Donna over. He kissed his way down her body stopping between her round breasts taking each nipple and plying it with his tongue and teeth. Donna arched her body because of the ache in the pit of her stomach desiring for him to get down to her core quicker. She had been loved thoroughly by this man but she would never get enough of him. His mouth, his teeth, his nose, his manhood all hers to thoroughly enjoy freely.

As Harvey worked his way down he trailed kisses down to her stomach and kissed inside her navel and held her tight in his arms. He finally kissed her abdomen and rested between her legs which had fallen open when Harvey turned her over. He trailed his wet mouth on one thigh and then missing her melting point entirely resumed his kisses and wet tongue on the other thigh. Donna writhed joyfully at the prickles of his morning beard on her skin combining with his wet tongue. Her legs were over his shoulders and she reached down to run her hands in his hair. Her muscles contracted with the movement and Harvey gently smoothed her back down.

As he knelt between her thighs ready to take her, all the bedclothes fell away from Harvey's body giving Donna a bird's eye few of his strong chest and gently muscled biceps, hardened abdomen and masculine thighs. She touched his penis and massaged it and readied it for him to enter her. He stroked her clit a couple of times with it to be sure she was ready. Harvey watched as her half opened eyes gave him the permission he was seeking. He slowly thrust into her and she gasped again at the feeling of having him inside her once again. As Harvey thrust creating a rhythm, Donna crossed her ankles gracefully and helped rock him into her.

Donna gasped and whimpered as Harvey's rhythm grew in need and in force. She could feel the sweat on his back and they slid their hands together with their fingers entwined. He stopped for a minute to delay his orgasm as he intensely stared at his beautiful Donna. Her lips swollen with his kisses, her full rounded breasts pressed to him. He took one hand brushed her red tangled hair away from her face and kissed her once more. Harvey's heart was so full. It tore him apart as he lay there looking at her and coming to hold her close that she would be a call away instead of a few steps away.

Donna looked up at him with all of the love and happiness in her eyes. Mike had been right yesterday. She did not need the job this time to be with Harvey. He was hers. Their joy at being together and Harvey never stopping to let her and others know just how he belonged to her now filled Donna's heart to bursting. She stroked his forehead and kissed him.

"Hey, you can call me, you know?" She smiled up at him.

"Yes, I can and I will."

Harvey then realigned his body with hers and slid himself into her fully wet folds again slowly reintroducing their rhythm. As his thrusting became deeper and deeper, Donna gripped the sheets and cried out when her orgasm broke her and rippled through her. Harvey, in response, kissed her forehead and finished his pumping finally coming inside.

As they both lay panting and coming down from the cliff of ecstasy, Harvey kissed Donna. He stroked her face and then smiled.

"I don't want to go to work," he complained.

"I know," Donna simply said.

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Later that morning, Harvey found Louis sitting in his office. A long time ago having to meet Louis in his office when he just arrived would have bothered Harvey to a fit of temper; but since Louis and Harvey had finally become real partners and real friends this was no longer an issue.

"Good morning, Louis. I suppose you want to fill me in about Mike."

"Let's see Harvey. I appreciate you being three hours late. It's 11 am."

"Yes, I know. I was busy," Harvey defended himself.

"You know Faye is on the warpath. Why are you so late?"

"None of your business, Louis. Now are you going to tell me about Mike or do I have to track him down myself?"

"I'm sorry. I know you were with Donna. I'm just worried."

"About Faye finding out about the extortion?'

"Yes. Other things, too."

"Like what are we going to do without Donna here."

Harvey sat back and looked at Louis. "Donna needs us to keep going with Faye and show her we can do things the way Faye wants. The faster we can get her out of here the faster Donna can come back and Robert's name can go back up on the wall."

"Well, in the meantime, Mike told me that Andrew Malik is behind this whole thing. He had a mole in our office."

"Who?" Harvey asked. Donna was always good at doing background checks on new hires, so he had a hard time believing that this "mole" was a professionally good one.

"She was a paralegal. Savannah Lister. Gretchen told Mike she didn't trust her. Mike found a good reason why Gretchen would feel that way."

"What else did Mike say? Is he having Andrew Malik arrested?"

"Should be happening right now as we speak," Louis responded. "I guess I'd better get back to my office before Faye takes it away from me."

"Now why would I do that, Louis?" Faye said as she came to the doorway of Harvey's office hearing Louis' heavy voice.

"I don't know, Faye. You fired Donna for some ungodly reason, so who knows why you're doing what you're doing."

"Faye, I suppose you want to know why I was three hours late this morning," Harvey whined.

"Yes, I was just making sure that everything is fine. I have reviewed those few cases that were given to me for approval. I approve them, so I expect the work to be done to the clients' swift and expected outcome."

Faye was leaving when she swiftly turned around almost knocking Louis over in the process.

"By the way, Louis, regarding those two new highly qualified interns, I think we can find room for them in the bullpen."

Louis' face lit up.

"Faye, that's great that you approved, but we don't have enough room to properly accommodate two new apprentices .

"No, I think we're good. So you can tell your fiancee she can cut them lose."

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Just then Mike had burst into Harvey's office, but he stopped short when he saw Faye Richardson. He had not been formally introduced but he knew of her on sight.

"Ah, Mr. Ross, I presume," Faye said.

"Yes, Ms. Richardson..."

"Faye."

"Faye, I need to speak with you on a matter which concerns this firm."

"Mike," Harvey said through gritted teeth. He knew of what the conversation would consist and Harvey was loathe to allow Faye any part of it.

"Harvey, she can help. Just hear me out," Mike protested.

Faye walked into Harvey's office while Louis walked back into the room as well. Faye, Louis, and now Harvey all sat around the coffee table on the couch and chairs arranged as they waited anxiously for Mike to tell his tale.

Mike started to tell Faye, Louis, and Harvey about what was happening.

"Please call Samantha and Alex as well," Faye stated. "They are part of the firm's leadership and need to hear what's happening as well."

Harvey was reluctant to do this as Alex and Samantha knew nothing about how Louis had become a name partner. He also thought that Donna was still a vested partner in this firm although she had been temporarily fired by the woman taking over the room, so he sat down at his desk and called her. When she picked up he told her quietly to keep her phone muted and he would make sure that his speaker was on so she could hear somewhat of what was being told.

As Harvey sat at his desk, he propped his phone beside him. Samantha carrying a cup of coffee in her hand decided to stand and lean against Harvey's new shelfing. Alex took a seat next to Faye as he watched Mike take a perch on the front edge of Harvey's desk.

"Mike," Harvey softly whispered.

"What?" Mike said turning around.

"Turn your body. I have Donna listening in."

"Ok, Got it," Mike responded and decided to go across the room to the window where the late morning light allowed Mike's voice to seemingly emanate from a black spirit rather than a flesh and blood person. The setting was ominous and set the momentous information that would soon be imparted.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Harvey asked looking around the room and seeing the partners that had known nothing about Louis' partnership terms.

Mike cleared his throat and began.

"Faye, as you don't really know me or are familiar with why I was brought here, I think it's time you know."

Faye sat back in the chair and crossing her legs and clasping her hands around one knee said, "Yes, Mr. Ross, keeping secrets was one reason why I was brought here. So I appreciate the honesty, if a little late."

"Louis contacted me because he was being extorted for money for knowledge of something that was only known to Harvey, Jessica, Louis, and myself. As a matter of fact, it was a result of their knowledge of who I was at the time that precipitated this unique Partner's Agreement."

"What do you mean by unique? I did examine the partnership agreements and thought that most of them were of the boiler plate type."

"Except for the Name Partner's Agreement that Louis signed a few years ago when he was promoted to Name Partner. Unfortunately, this agreement carries some unusual terms which are now the basis of an extortion which needs to be stopped."

"Mike," Harvey said as he looked up at him. "Let me finish it."

"No, Harvey. This is my show and tell and if Faye will help it will no longer cast a shadow of suspicion of underhanded dealings in this office."

"Harvey, let him finish," Louis said. "It will be ok."

"Louis became a name partner because he held leverage over Jessica Pearson's and Harvey's heads. His name partnership was based on the fact he knew at the time that I was a fraud and if he wanted to be name partner he would not disclose that he knew this and report either Jessica or Harvey to the authorities. It was his decision as to whether be a party to something illegal and gain his dream or report us and bring the whole firm down. Needless to say, Louis chose the previous."

Faye uncrossed her legs and sat up straight. She said nothing but her posture gave it away that she decided to pay a little closer attention. In similar fashion, Samantha slammed her coffee cup into the trash in disgust, crossed her arms, and began pacing the floor impatiently.

"Oh my God! You people are far worse than anything that Robert had ever done," she exclaimed.

Alex, suddenly the voice of reason, said, "Samantha, calm down. Let Mike finish." He then just shrugged and sat back and with hooded eyes decided to say nothing until Mike had finished.

"Now, I paid for my being a fraud. I am a licensed lawyer in NY as well as Seattle. However, recently, we had a mole in this office acting as an informant to Thomas Kessler's lawyer, Brendan Colby. Apparently after the situation fell apart with Kessler Furniture and seeking revenge by removing Harvey from the bar did not work, Andrew Malik decided that he had a better plan to take revenge for Harvey's victories over him by another method,"

"Then if this is case then I think that the name partners who knew nothing of this circumstance need to be maintained and the others, namely, Harvey and Louis should consider themselves fired immediately. They are lucky I do not press charges for knowledge of this circumstance."

"Not so fast, Faye," Mike said taking a huge file and plopping it in her lap.

"Before I confronted Malik and informed him of his pending arrest, I tracked down corroborating witnesses. One was Savannah Lister whom came forward upon coercion of Brendan Colby to confess that she had been paid to infiltrate these offices and find dirt and anything explosively illegal among the name partners. In another words something that could be proved. She found the agreement buried in Partner's personal files. The other accomplice was, of course, Brendan Colby who was readying to take his money and run to Florida when I spoke with him. However, now he should be in a holding cell waiting to be questioned and name Andrew Malik as the main perpetrator of this little offense."

"Mike, what else to you have?" Harvey asked knowing he was sitting on the edge of remaining at the firm or resigning in disgrace and, unfortunately, taking Donna with him.

"Let's just say that Ms. Lister had presented her findings to more than just Malik," Mike said moving now from the side of the window to the corner of the room which now revealed Mike's face instead of leaving it in shadow.

"What do you mean, Mike?" Harvey said hoping that what Mike was going to divulge was not what Harvey had been thinking.

"I mean Savannah Lister contacted Ms. Faye Richardson two days before she gave her information to Andrew Malik. This was approximately two days before Faye showed up here."

"So you knew about this! You couldn't wait until Louis or I made a misstep to trip us up," Harvey was stating.

"In my defense, I did not collude with Andrew Malik. I tried not to include the things he implicated in my assessment of this place. I have done nothing but try to be objective in evaluating cases, approving resources..."

"...firing Donna?" Harvey exclaimed jumping out of his seat forgetting that Donna was on the phone listening to what was transpiring.

"But you did listen to Savannah Lister's report, didn't you?" Mike came forward accusingly and stood over her.

Faye very carefully folded the file given to her by Mike. She stood up and straightened her skirt.

"I assure you, Mr. Ross, you cannot charge me with collusion or extortion, blackmail or a hundred other things. I was put here by the Bar, and I have done nothing short than evaluate fairly."

"I beg to differ," Donna's voice could now be heard from Harvey's phone.

"Donna?" Faye questioned. Then she glared at Harvey.

Before Faye could venture anything else to say, Harvey defended Donna by saying, "We never bought her out. She's still a partner and...soon will be back as COO," Harvey said standing toe-to-toe with Faye.

"Is the proof of your accusations in here, Mr. Ross?" Faye asked.

"Why do you think I gave it to you?" Mike said. He now walked toward her and took Harvey's place in front of her.

"Now, Ms. Richardson, I did not tell the authorities of your "collusion" with Andrew Malik or your receiving information from a paid mole so that file contains all the transcripts and written affidavits, confessions, whatever. So I say since Ms. Lister's word is against yours you can bow out gracefully. Your report to the Bar is that "ZaneSpecter Litt Wheeler Williams" is operating correctly and within the letter of the law or I can take that evidence and be sure that every partner in this firm sues you and the bar for defamation," Mike said looking Faye in the eyes.

After a few moments silence, Louis who bore the brunt of Faye's time was next to approach her.

"As managing partner of ZaneSpecter Litt Wheeler Williams, pack your shit and get out of my firm!"

Faye turned around and looked to see if anyone contained any compassion for her and for the job she tried to do. There was no one except for Donna whose voice came from Harvey's phone like a spirit from the grave.

"Faye, on behalf of my fellow partners in leadership of ZSLWW, I wish I could say we wish you well, but we can't. Please leave Robert's old office the way you found it."

Faye, who never shed a tear, took the file with the evidence of her questionable collusion or not and walked out of Harvey's office with her head held high.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wow! What a morning!" Were some of the exclamations coming from Harvey's corner office. The main leadership of the firm were whooping and hollering as if they had won a great case tried by the Supreme Court.

The tension had been thick, but now with the NY Bar spy gone for good having now for sure to give the firm a clean bill of health otherwise her own demise was imminent, the silence exploded like a bubble bursting allowing air to pass through.

Harvey came over to clap Mike on the shoulder and shake his hand. Louis gave him a bear hug and shook his hand. Samantha had claimed that he did not do too bad for once being a fraud. Alex shook his hand and told Mike that he knew he missed him around here for some reason.

Eventually Harvey gave his phone to Mike so Donna could express her gratitude as well.

_"Thank you, Mike. I don't know how you did it. I am just glad you did it."_

"Thank you, Ms. COO. Now get your ass in here before I stick the real managing partner on the phone to make you."

_"Music to my ears, puppy. Put Harvey on, ok?"_

"Sure," Mike said coming around Harvey's desk to hand him the phone.

_"See ya soon, hot shot," Donna said. "If you don't mind, I'm calling Ray to come get me." _

"I wouldn't have it any other way. See you soon."

Harvey hung up his phone and just watched as Mike tried not to take credit for doing what they could not. Namely, they could not find the means to drive old battle-axe Faye Richardson from their midst. He, Mike, had come to their rescue where once he would have been seen as the whole problem.


	9. Epilogue

**Hi Folks! Here is my little tag for the end. I thought I left Ch 8 in an odd place, so here you go! Thank you for the great reviews! Love Carebearmaxi.**

Bringing It Home

Epilogue

The car ride was loud and jubilant. Ray looked back at the four inhabitants riding in the car waiting to be dropped off at Harvey's place for some sort of celebration. Harvey was smiling from ear to ear as he sat next to Donna. He had suddenly put his arm around her and kissed the side of her head. Ray loved her response by stroking his chest with her hand and leaning into his side eventually placing her very happy face and head on his shoulder. For just a minute Ray noticed she turned her head into his neck as if to whisper something only in Harvey's ear.

The other two riders in the car were Mike whom Ray was very happy to see and Louis Litt who was another one smiling from ear to ear. Every now and then Louis' face dimmed because the others were relentlessly teasing him about something or other. What a contrast to a few weeks ago when the silence in the car between Harvey and Donna was so thick it could have been cut with a knife.

"Ray, you know where to take us. We're celebrating!" Harvey had called from the backseat among the laughter.

"Right away, boss!" Ray called back and pulled away from the curb taking his boss, his boss' girlfriend, and his two other best friends to his favorite celebratory restaurant.

As Ray pulled up at the curb, Harvey alighted and handed Donna out and then the other two seemingly spilled out into the street.

"Do you want me to wait?" Ray said. "It's ok if you do."

"No, go back to be with your family. We may be a while. We'll catch a cab or Uber. Have a good night, Ray. Thank you for everything."

Ray signed off and pulled away from the curb as he watched Harvey, Donna, Louis, and Mike venture into the restaurant.

Much later in the evening, Harvey and Donna lay in bed totally exhausted from the events of the day. Harvey turned on his side and pulled Donna next to him.

"It will be a pleasure to go to work tomorrow and know that Faye Richardson is no longer acting managing partner," Harvey said in hushed tones.

"Yes, it's nice that I can come back to work as COO," Donna sleepily responded she stroked Harvey's protective arm with her hand as she lie there next to him. He had pulled her very close to him and she inhaled his scent and just loved the feeling of him next to her in the dark sanctuary of their bedroom. She realized that soon they may have to come to a decision about whether they wanted to live together or not. The traveling back and forth was getting increasingly wearisome though neither Harvey nor Donna wanted to trade it for all the years of longing and loneliness and unfulfilling relationships.

"Harvey," Donna said nudging his arm a bit.

"Yes," Harvey said very sleepily. He was too old for partying that hard between the stress of the day, the jubilance of the victory party combined with the liquor he drank he almost passed out in the cab on the way home. Luckily the shower he had shared with Donna before heading to bed seemed to revive him a bit. However, now, that total feeling of peacefulness and security and warmth was sweeping over him causing him to just want to lie in the dark next to Donna and sleep.

"Harvey, I think we may have to decide where we want to live either singly or together," Donna said.

"Why, Donna?" Harvey asked still very sleepy.

"Because...just because," Donna said sleepily. She turned her head slightly and could see Harvey's eyes closed and his breathing becoming deeper and his arm about her enclosing her like he was holding a teddy bear.

"Nevermind. I love you, Harvey," Donna whispered and kissed his forehead. She carefully turned on her side as she held onto his arm so he would know she was not going anywhere.

Harvey and Donna slept their first peaceful night since Faye Richardson had reared her ugly head and their buddy, Mike, had returned to save the day.


End file.
